Twisted Alliances: Approaching Disaster
by Beck2
Summary: This time: The morning after! THE CONCLUSION! FINI!
1. Midnight meetings

WELCOME BACK!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Yes, I know.  I have yet to finish Arcane.  But good ideas tend to keep me up at night.

I thought I'd say thanks to the people who reviewed last story's chapter.  Oh, and review are a little funky, so if you're not here, I'm sorry.

Akai Kah'ghe- *trying to receive thought* I don't know if it's working…..

Dragonet: I'll try not to press you.  *laughs*

Abigail Marie-  More Herman!

Disclaimer:  This fic contains explicit context of things that are real.  These 'real' things are commonly known as life.  So, if it sounds sarcastic, don't take it seriously.  If it sounds dangerous, do not try this at home or at all.  And if it offends you, just. Don't. Read. It.  (oh, and X-men isn't mine)

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_Wake up._

I was having a very strange dream.  There were voices all around me.  The most insistent one sounded like Herman……

_Wake UP! Up._

In my dream, I was in the forest, staring at dozens of trees.  And in those trees sat teddy-bear size versions of Herman.

_Danny!_

They all looked at me.  It was really creepy.

_Forgive me. Forgive._

I suddenly felt a sharp pain in my ear and sat up fast.  I wasn't in the forest.  I was in my bed at the institute.  And something was hanging off my ponytail.

I reached up and touched something furry.  With big ears.  

"Herman?"

_You are awake.  Are._

"Yeah, my ear hurts."  I thought for a minute.  "Did you bite me?"

_Yes.  You need to be awake.  The colony is here to speak with you. Speak with you._

I looked up.  There were bats hanging off my ceiling, my dresser, even off Doggy, who was looking a little uneasy.

"What's going on?"

_There are others. Others._

_They come to hurt! Come._

_One flies-_

"Hang on." They were all talking at once.  It was hard to decipher what they were all saying.  " Speak one at a time."

There was a whole conversation with clicks and whistles, then one tiny bat fluttered over to sit on my lap.  He chirped at Herman, who was hanging off the front of my T-shirt.  Herman chirped back.  The little bat looked up at me.

_They are two legs.  They. Smell is threatening. Smell._

"How many?"  I was beginning to feel a slight twinge of fear too.  "How far away?"

_An eighth of the colony.  Eighth.  A quarter of the hunting ways.  Ways._

Okay.  There was eighty in this particular colony.  Or close to eighty.  So that meant about ten people.   The hunting ways was their hunting grounds, and that covered all of Bayville and then some.  Probably about five to ten miles. 

"How do you know they're coming here?"

_We do not.  Herman does.  Does._

I looked down at him, waiting for an explanation.

_They speak of mutants.  Speak.  _

"How do you know?"

_Always know.  Always.  I watched you._

"Okay."  Now I was scared.  " We're going to see the Professor."

All of them began to flap their wings and chirp.

"No, not all of you.  I need ones that can give me accurate descriptions."

Another conversation went off, then about twenty or so bats flew down to cling to my shirt and shorts.  I looked at the rest.

" Stay here.  I may need you."

_We understand.  Stand.  Hurry._

"Doggy."  He looked over at me.  "You'd better come too."

He got up and padded over to me.  I opened the door and walked out.

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I think I may have looked like some horror monster.  I had twenty or so bats hanging off of me, I was walking around a mansion in the dark, in the middle of the night.

So it should have been no surprise to me that Amara turned ghostly white when I walked past her.  I think she might have been getting a midnight snack or something.  

So much for that.

Amara ran back down the hall.  I think she went to wake the others up.

I kept walking.  Professor Xavier's room was at the end of the hall in the west wing.  I was still in the east wing, but making pretty good time considering I had a dog padding beside me and a bunch of bats weighing me down.

When I finally got there, I hesitated.  If he didn't believe me, I didn't want to think f what the bats would do.  If Herman could understand what humans say because he watched me, what would he say to the others about Professor Xavier?

'I would leave that train of thought until after I've heard what you had to say Danny.'

Self-control stopped me from jumping two feet into the air and knocking off all of my little furry friends.

'I'm in the meeting room.  Come over.'

It would have been nice of him to mention that before I walked all the way over here.

I took me less than a minute to get to the central wing to the door of the meeting room.

'Come in.  And have your friends close their eyes.'

I did as he said, after I bid my winged mice to close their eyes.  __

When I walked in I heard Ms. Monroe stifle a sharp breath.  I couldn't blame her.  If they weren't my friends I'd find the whole affair seriously creepy.

I took a deep breath.  "My friends say that there are people coming here."

"What kind of people, Doolittle?"  Mr. Logan had a skeptical look on his face.

"Dangerous kinds.  They smell threatening."

"Did they say how many?  Or who they were?"  Ms. Monroe had just saved me from Mr. Logan's questions yet again.  I blanched at the explanation of smelling threatening.

"They said there were about ten.  And I brought the ones who could give descriptions."

"Oh my."

I turned to see Mr. McCoy walk in.  "Danny, did you know your ear is bleeding?"

"Yeah," I looked a little sheepish. "They were trying to wake me up."

"I see."  He gazed intently at the bats.  "May I?"

I reached over to my shoulder where there was a particularly friendly bat and handed it to Mr. McCoy.  It had already been leaning that way, trying to identify his smell.

He let the bat wander around in his palms.  "Remarkable creatures."

"Back to the point-"

I turned back to Mr. Logan.

 "-where are these threatening people?"

"Five to ten miles sir."

Professor Xavier nodded.  "Then we must get ready.  Ororo, please get the children in uniform.  Most of them are up already.  We will stay here and see if we cannot identify the people that are coming."

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"Everyone get dressed!  We may have to defend ourselves."

Amara picked up a hand in the back.

"Yes, Amara?"

"Is Danny alright?  She was being attacked by bats!"

"She's fine.  In fact, she is with Logan, McCoy, and Professor Xavier right now."

"What's going on?"  Jubilee came back, fully dressed yet a bit disheveled.

"It appears that the bats came to give Danny a message.  She is relaying it to the professor."

"Weird."

"That may be so."  Scott walked in.  He was in full uniform, looking fully awake.  "But we can't worry about that now.  Hurry up."

**^*^*^*^*^*^**^*

I was getting tired. And irritated.  So far I had rattled off everything the bats had been telling me, and Mr. Logan and the others just kept looking more and more grim.

It was so annoying.  I wanted to know what difference I was making.  

I wanted to look grim too, darn it.

_What happens now? Now._

I glanced down.  Herman was still there.  He hadn't moved except to hook a claw over my collar so he could move to let other bats in.

I reached up a hand carefully (there were bats on my sleeves) and patted him on the head.  He blinked his bright eyes at me and buried his nose into my collar.

Eww.  Bat snot.

There was aloud knock at the door.  "Professor!"  It was Scott.

"Come in."

Scott and the others walked in.  I was so embarrassed.  They were all fully dressed and I was standing around in my pajamas.  And to add to it, I was already being stared at because of my amazing living bat coat.

"I'm glad you're all here.  It seems that Magneto, his Alcolytes, and the brotherhood are coming."

"All of them?  Like, how did that happen?"  Kitty phased through the front people.

"I don't know.  But we'll find out.  We will all meet them.  Go out to the grounds.  Danny, you better go too."

"Sir?"

"Yes?"

"May I get dressed first?"

"Of course.  Hurry."

I hurried as fast as one is able carrying twenty-odd bats.  I ran past my creeped out mutant friends (who were even more creeped out when the bat Mr. McCoy had been holding realized I'd been leaving and flew after me) and went to my room.  As soon as I and Doggy got in and I shut the door behind me, my carry-ons flew off to chat with the rest of the colony.

I don't have a real battle suit.  Since my gift requires animals to be around, I'm really useless in the danger room.  Doggy and I tried it once, but Doggy wouldn't leave my side and we both got fried.

We haven't been in there since.  

I've been taking classes, weight lifting and the such, and I can throw a semi-nice right hook.  And when Doggy and I are together we can be very troublesome.

But the fact of the matter was, we couldn't really do anything against anything heavy.

_Are you ready?  Ready._

I finished putting on my 'uniform'- a pair of blue jeans, a black long sleeved, Black boots, and gray gloves.  Never know when you're gonna have to pick up something prickly.

I nodded to the bats and finished putting my hair into a braid while they flew out my open window.  I motioned to Doggy and we ran out of my room, down the steps, and out to the grounds outside.

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Danny's first meeting with the Brotherhood and Alcolytes!  Whatever are they here for?

We'll have bat wings,

And rat things,

With Doggy's view,

So please review.


	2. New aquaintances, Pietro and the Pup, an...

Second Chapter!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Jc:  Thank-you!  

Dragonet:  You boost my ego so bad.

Flamingo1: Actually, Herman is going to play several big parts….but not the whole colony.

Disclaimer: Oh x-men how I do not own thee….Let me count the ways….(gee, one basically says it all, doesn't it?)

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The grounds were filled with fog, courtesy of the resident weather witch.

Doggy and I were standing next to Roberto, who was looking a bit nervous.  I couldn't blame him.  The sun wasn't out, so he didn't really have a lot of energy to him.

Ray, Amara, and Sam were nearby.  I think they felt they needed to stick by us for protection purposes.  Ours, not theirs.  And I was glad.  If I could pick anyone to protect me, it would be the people who could be their own three-man army.

I felt a sudden weight attach itself to the back of my shirt.

_They will be here soon. Soon. _

Herman.  He had his claws hooked over the back of my collar.  I reached back there and stroked his head.

Doggy and Herman weren't the only animals on the grounds with us.  I could tell that Kally was in Ray's jacket.  Kally, the rat we did not save, we did not sneak home, and we did not decide that it should stay with Ray for safekeeping, was probably keeping an eye on him.

_I will protect Ray._

I grinned slightly at that.  Kally must have a crush on him or something.

_I do not._

Apparently I think a little loudly.

Doggy began to growl.  It started low in his throat, then built to an all-out snarl.

"Doolittle!  Keep that mutt under control!"

I reached down and put my hands around his collar.  I'd need both hands to hold him back.

"Everyone on your guard.  They're here," Mr. Logan whispered.

The fog began to swirl directly in front of all of us.  Ray and the other two backed up to flank Roberto and I.  Through the fog I could see Rahne, Bobby, and Jamie pull together.

I felt every muscle in Doggy's body go taut.  Herman hooked his claws a little deeper into my shirt.

Out of the fog stepped a man in a maroon costume and a helmet.  Behind him I could see a group of figures steadily becoming more distinct.

"Magneto."  Mr. Logan stepped over to him.  "What are you doing here?"

Even through the fog I could see the glint of metal coming off of Mr. Logan's claws.

So much for friendly visits.

"Peace Wolverine.  We come not to attack, but rather to make an alliance."  Magneto spread his hands out as a gesture of goodwill.  

It wasn't very convincing.

"I wish to speak with Charles.  The others are here at my command and will not attack you."  Purple man was talking again.  Doggy was still snarling.

'You say that you come in peace.  Very well.  Come inside Magnus, and we will talk.'

The Professor.  He was still inside. Mr. Logan sheathed his claws a little reluctantly and made way for Magneto.  Magneto glided, not walked, over to the institute.  His followers came behind him.  Mr. Logan had a sour look on his face, but motioned us to follow.

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"Ewwww!  Like, gross Toad!"

Toad was just like his namesake.  He was hopping around everywhere, eating flies.  I assume he brought them in with him, because I don't remember they're being so many before.

There was a really big guy called Poitr, who didn't really speak at all, an aussie who was speaking a lot(I think he was making fun of Scott or something.  Or it could be that Scott was already angry at them being here.), and a guy who was flirting with every girl (sans myself) who, when I looked closely at him, had fire looking eyes.  There was also a guy who seemed to be made of speed (or on it), a guy with brown hair who was trying to catch Kitty's eye, a guy who was so big he made me feel like the swimsuit edition (a feat in itself), and lastly, a girl with black and red hair.  She looked pretty gothic.  Sometimes Toad would run over to her and she would haul back and shot blue power beam things at him.

Ah, the benefits of modern woman.

There were also two others along with the purple caped guy.  It was a stooped, really hairy guy and a woman with blue skin.

"Hey! Ihaven't seen youbefore. Mustbenew.  I'm Pietro." 

Speedboy.  He was right in front of me.  

In front of Doggy.  That was bad.

When Speedy, err.. Pietro leaned forward, Doggy did too, and sank his teeth into Pietro's shirt.

"AHHHHH! GET THATSTUPIDMUTTOFF!"

See, this was exactly the kind of publicity I didn't want.  Pretty soon, everyone was staring at us and I was seriously considering letting Doggy have him as a chew toy.  The aussie was howling with laughter along with his buddy with the glowing eyes.  I could see smirks everywhere, even from Scott and Jean.  And I think I heard Rogue say something to the effect of 'just two inches deepah, you'll get skin'.

I was still mortified.  I had both hands on Doggy's collar (I had feared something like this would happen) and he still mange to catch somebody.

"GETME OUT! GETMELOOSERIGHTNOW!"

It was really hard to concentrate with someone yelling that close to me.

"GETITOF-"

"IF YOU SHUT-UP I MIGHT BE ABLE TOO!!!!!!!!!"  

After I yelled, silence filled the room.  Herman scrambled up my back to put his head on my shoulder to see what was going on. It was a miracle nobody noticed him.  Everyone was staring at me.  I felt the color rush to my cheeks.  I just needed to get Doggy off and maybe they would look somewhere else.

I tightened my grip on Doggy's collar and asked him to let go.  When he just began chomp down tighter, I threatened to cut back on his treats.  He considered for a moment, but decided not to let go.  I also added that I would put him outside for the rest of the night.  He reluctantly loosened his jaw and let Pietro go.  Pietro sped off as soon as he was free.

I sighed in relief and patted Doggy's back.  I heard a whistle and looked up.

The Aussie still had a huge grin on his face.  He winked at me.

"Now that's a sheilah with a bite!"

"Non, mes ami, de dog have de bite.  De chere got de dog!"

The aussie and his friend with the weird eyes laughed at their own jokes.  I felt like I would die of embarrassment.  

As a side note, Doggy was wagging his tail at them.  Which brings up the age-old question.

Whose side is Doggy on anyway?

The big man, Poitr, was smiling a bit too.  In fact, everyone was still grinning.  

Yeah, dying of embarrassment would reach full effect right now.

"Don't laugh! You guys should take care of that mutt!"  Pietro was back.  He was glaring at Doggy (from a distance).  

Piotr glanced down at him.  "You provoked the dog.  You never should have gotten so close to his mistress."

Pietro began telling the bigger man off, and to my left I saw Ray mouth the word 'mistress' at me.  

I wonder if anyone would notice if Doggy suddenly bit him.

I didn't realize it right then, but the aussie and his buddy had skirted the room and ended up a couple feet away from me.

"Aye, Remy, notice how that sheilah's pup made the speedy goat boy run off?"

I looked at them. They both had identical grins.  Remy winked at me.

"Don' suppose you can rent de dog out, cherie? Remy tink dat a dog dat get rid of de boss's boy dat fast may be useful for ot'ers to."

I looked from one to another.

"Lemme get this straight.  You want to borrow Doggy to chase people off with him?"

"Oh, a little this, a little- wait a tic, did you just say that Pup's name is Doggy?"

"Dat be a strange name for a dog."

"Lahke we care!" Rogue had managed to find her way over to my side.  She glared at the two guys.  "Why doan't you crawl unda some rock an' die?"

"Chere wounds Remy.  Why does he deserve dat?"

"You tried to blow me up!"

"Aww…but chere," he gave her his best smile.  I bet it melted a lot of hearts where he came from.  "Dat was business.  Remy don talk about business here."

Rogue began to take off her gloves.  The aussie had a huge grin on his face as he watched the show, and Doggy and I decided to move back.

"Everyone!  I'd like your attention."

Saved by the bell-err..Professor.

Everyone, alcolytes and the brotherhood included, looked at the Professor.

"I suggest we all get along.  We may be together for a while.  Recent information given to me by Magneto has revealed that there is a plot afoot, and that we may all be in danger."

Things just keep getting better.

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Hahah!  I accidentally posted this story without putting it into the humor section (oops) but I changed it so now I hope people can see it.

Hmmmmm……It appears that there is a plot afoot!  Whatever will happen?

Reviewing is nice

Like sugar and spice

So leave you best

Or a little jest

A polite criticize

All for the wise.


	3. The plot, the problem, and the plane

I feel incredibly privileged.  I have been here for about three weeks, and my combined review count is up to the one hundreds!

Akai Kah'ghe:  Empathy with Toad?  I don't think so. Maybe.  He's too….human, if you'll pardon the expression.  *trying to receive thoughts* I'm doing my best!

Laureate:  I'll admit something now.  I actually love Pietro.  When I read the original comics, he was my favorite.  Don't worry, there will be reptiles.

Flamingo1 : Actually. There may be a little romance, but as of yet it will be severely underdeveloped (ie. Crushes, so on.)  But it will probably get a little more serious later.   And those are only for the original X-men.  I haven't even gotten into Danny's romantic interests yet.  Though my muses and I are thinking up something good…..

Fire Raven3: You think I'm going to leave that wonderful Ausssie behind?  No way. 

Abigail Marie:  Herman thanks you.  You.

Disclaimer: MWAHAHAHAHAHAHHAHAHHAHAHHHAHHA!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!  ……..sorry. I don't own anything except what is mine.  X-men is not mine.

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They said the threat was some radical group, the Friends of Humanity.  They had buddied up with some guy Trask's scientist and made something that hunted mutants.  That's why we had to stick together, to protect ourselves.

I felt the same twinge of fear that I felt when Herman and his colony invaded my room.  It was a controlled fear, the kind that tightens your gut and causes your heart to beat a couple of tics faster. Like when you're looking at a bully at school.  You know what he can do, but you don't want to back down.

It took a day for everyone to settle in and for plans to be made. When the night came, everyone gratefully slid into that uneasy sleep that comes only from exhaustion and anticipation.

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"AHHHH!  AHHHH! AHHHH!"

I bolted straight upright , sending Doggy tumbling off the bed.  I panicked and dug under my pillows to grab the flashlight I had there.  Fumbling I turned it on and shined it into the screamer's face.

Jubes was standing up in her bed, doing some crazy dance that involved her trying to stomp on something.

"Jubilee!" Rahne fell off the cot she was sleeping on and tried to go help, but got tangled in the covers and fell flat on her face.

"AHHHHHH!!  GET IT OUT, GET IT OFF!!!!!!!!!!!!!!"

There was nothing wrong with Jube's lungs.  

Jube's little dance landed her too close to the end of the bed and she landed on the floor via posterior.  It didn't seem to stop her though, since she got up, ran towards the door, tripped over Rahne who was still fighting the covers, got up again, and opened the door into somebody and ran out screaming.

Doggy was freaked out as it was by his rude awakening and fled out the door as well (after he ran into Rahne, thwarting her third attempt to get up).

"What's going on?!" Mr. Logan stuck his head into the doorway and glared at us, Rahne still struggling with the covers and me sitting up with the flashlight.

"Jubes just ran out!" The Scottish girl managed to get out finally and stood looking at the bed.  " She just freaked and starting doing some crazy jig."

As soon as she stopped speaking, something big and black flew off the bed and landed on her chest.  She was wearing a tee top and it looked like it fell down her shirt.  I saw her eyes widen dramatically and she tore out of the room screaming.  As loud as she was, I bet everyone heard her.  I heard the front doors burst open and slid off my bed to look out the window.

Rahne was pulling off her tee top overshirt (she had a tank top under it) and attracting a pretty good crowd.  When she finally got the top off, she swung it like a sling and threw it over the fountain statue.  Then she did an about face and ran back screaming her head off.  About halfway she turned into a wolf and started baying.

Mr. Logan appeared a couple of minutes later, took the shirt off the fountain and looked inside it.

"DOOLITTLE!"

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Because of the new arrival of our..errr…comrades, we had to buddy up our rooms.  Since I had a fairly large room, both Rahne and Jubes roomed with me.  Amara got Jean, Kitty got Rogue.  Wanda got her own room.  The boys all had to buddy up too, but that's besides the point.

"What the hell is this THING?!" 

Everyone was gaping at the jar Mr. Logan was holding up.  Even the Alcolytes and the Brotherhood was there. The thing Mr. Logan was referring to was the thing that went down Rahne's shirt.  To my credit, I didn't know what it was either.

It was like a spider, except it had ten legs.  They had to put it into a jar because it kept running off and Pietro didn't want to keep touching it because he was freaked out by it.

It was kinda cool looking though.

"Well?!" Mr. Logan was glaring at me.

"I've never seen that thing before in my life!" I defended.

"Not surprising."  Mr. McCoy wandered in holding a piece of paper.  "It's not native here."

"What is it, mate?"  The Aussie looked at the jar with morbid fascination.

"Order Solifugidae.  The common name for it is a Sun Spider or a Wind Scorpion, because it runs so fast.  They are usually found in the southwest, but they are sold at petshops for food."

"Then what is it doing here?"  Again, Mr. Logan was glaring at me.  I glared back.

"Do you think I bring strange creatures that I have no idea what they are home?  No! I do not bring home giant spiders so they can sit in my friend's beds."

Bobby grinned from the back.  "This would be such a cool prank if you had actually meant it to happen."

I raised an eyebrow. "Mr. Logan?  Can I borrow the nice spider?"

"No.  No more trouble tonight.  We'll deal with this thing in the morning."  He gestured to the jar, then handed it to Mr. McCoy.

"Alright."  Mrs. Monroe stepped in.  "Everyone back to bed.  We have a mission tomorrow."

Jubes and Doggy, back from heaven knows where, fell in step beside me as I followed Rahne back up to my room.  I think Rahne was mourning the loss of her tee shirt.  

When we got back there, Jubes immediately started tearing up her covers.  Rahne did the same.  I assume they were looking for more spiders.

"Hey Dan."

"Yeah Rahne?"  I looked up from putting my pillows back on my bed.

"You didn't….."

"Noo."  I took a deep breath.  " The only things that come into my room on a regular basis, that I know of, are bats, Doggy, several cats, the odd bird, and a couple of rodents that will be staying away."

"Oh good."

We all settled back down on out respective beds and allowed silence to fill the room.  A thought struck me.

"Jubes."

"Dan."

"Where'd you learn to dance like that?"

Something that sounded remarkably like a scottish girl choking back laughter was heard under the silence.

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I was a spy.

Herman was hanging out underneath my jacket (blue) and Doggy stood next to my hip.  And above me, a flock of doves sat cooing and generally looking like normal doves.  But they were with me.

The building I was spying on was about six stories tall, with red brick all around.  Every once in a while, if you looked real close, you could see someone pass by the tinted windows.

At my mental signal, Doggy went off to 'chase' the doves, sending them flying in all directions.  I 'ran' after my dog to make it look like I was having trouble with him.  He ducked down an alleyway with me in pursuit.

Once we were turning into another alleyway that completely blocked the sight of us from the building we were spying on, I jumped onto a dumpster and managed to wriggle my way up to the fire escape.  Doggy had to stay below, but I gave him the official job as lookout.

I climbed the fire escape up to the top of the building, and signaled out to my flock.  They had positioned themselves all over, effectively covering all bases without looking suspicious.

Taking a deep breath and stabilizing myself mentally, I contacted the professor.

_'Everything is in place Professor.'_

_'Good job Danny.  Tells us if anything happens.'_

I mentally agreed and turned my attention back to the flock.

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Magneto glared out the window.

"You make a serious decision here Charles.  Our future lies in the balance. Do you really think that little girl has what it takes?"

"You'd be surprised Magnus. She is very trustworthy.  And with her gift, she makes a most excellent spy."

"Truly the ability to speak with animals is a wondrous gift."

 "Yes."

Everyone else on the flight looked nervous.  All of the teams sat in the jet, waiting for the signal.

'_Professor.'_

Xavier looked up startled.  Magneto looked at him. "What is it?"

_'Professor?'_

_'Danny? What's going on?'_

Xavier nodded to Magneto. "It's Danny."

'I've got vans moving out of the building.  All of them have some guys with hard artillery in them. Is that what you.'

The connection broke off so suddenly Xavier didn't realize that it was gone at first.

_'Danny?'_

Magneto watched his old friend.  "Charles?"

"Something is going on.  There are vans pulling out of the building, and I've lost Danny.  She may be in danger."  

"Then what ah we standin around heah for? Let's go!"  Rogues voice carried, carrying with it everyone's sentiments.  

*^**^*^*^*^*^^*^*^**^*^*^*^*^

I never knew you could fall off six stories into a dumpster and hurt nothing but your pride until today.

The shots were still going off.  I had begun to suspect something when the flock had to move because the guards were taking potshots at them, but I hadn't realized that there were others behind me, aiming.  I was lucky I was so clumsy.  I had been walking towards the stairwell when I tripped over air.  The bullet went right over me and murdered a flowerpot someone had left outside.

I then decided that running down the fire escape would take too long.  Not a smart idea, but I was being shot at and I panicked.  I jumped off the building and landed in the dumpster.  I stunk, but I wasn't dead.

I hoisted myself over and out of the dumpster, falling on Doggy in the process.  His growls were cut short when bullets started raining above us.  We booked it out of there.

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The groups attacked the vans on the sidestreets.  But soon after that, everything went bad.  

As it turned out, the vans were a trap.  As soon as they were attacked, the doors flew open and stun guns started blazing.  Rogue managed to grab one guard, absorbing the memories.

"It's a trap!  There's nothin' heah, we gotta go!  We're the targets!" 

At the sound of her confession, a sort of mass retreat broke out.  Flyers took to the air.  Kitty grabbed a couple of people and phased them through a building.  Others took off on foot.  The attack broke off so suddenly there was no time to organize a pursuit on the guard's part.

But that didn't stop them from calling others.

*^**^*^*^*^^^*^**^*^*^^*^*

It was a good thing Doggy and I ate our wheaties this morning.  I don't think we would have been able to keep this pace any other way. Our pursuers were about a half a block behind us, having finally shown themselves.  Not that it would help them anyway.  Me and Doggy were only just started.  And we were picking up speed fast.

They were still shooting at us, but they must have had awful aim, because they weren't hitting us.  Well, they weren't now.  I think something bit me in my side, but if it was a bullet, it must have only grazed me.  I knew Herman was safe, he had moved to the front of my shirt, so he wouldn't get hit by a stray bullet.

Grinding metal up ahead caused me to think of Magneto.  As far as I knew, he was the only person who could bend metal like that.  He totally destroyed one of the danger room claws.  My hopes were raised-

-only to crash through the ground.  It was not Magneto, it was an eight foot tall robot with tentacles coming out of it's back.  It had armor and claws and teeth….

………Oh crap…….

"AHHHHHHH!"  My impression of Jubes was one of a kind.   I turned to see the guys with the guns, turned again to see a brick wall, then turned all the way around to the street of busy cars.

This did not register because I was between a robot and a hard place.  I took my chances and hauled my jaywalking butt across the road.

Everybody breaks for dogs, but do they break for the freaky kid who can talk to animals?  Nope, they just run her over.  Plenty of her where she came from.

After almost getting hit for the third time while someone politely stopped for Doggy, I began to spout a whole rainbow of new language.  At least the guards behind me were having as much trouble.  I managed to make it to the edge of the last lane and was almost home free when somebody blindsided me and tossed me into a couple trashcans in the side.  

Again, I was saved by trash. Doggy was by my side when I got up and limped off into the alleyway, away from the guards who were stuck in the middle of the road, and the robot that was practically breathing on my neck.

It occurred to me that I had a snowball's chance in hell of getting away from that thing.  I was hurt, helpless, and the only weapon to my name was a big wolfhound.

I swore softly under my breath and looked over my shoulder to see the robot not two feet away.  My blood froze in my veins while my heart started beating like a jackhammer.  Then it leapt for me.

"Oh Sh—!"\

A flurry of fire swept past my shoulder and hit the robot square in the chest.  It fell backwards, the front metal plate all destroyed.  

But it wasn't quite done yet.  It started moving forward again.  This time electricity went past my shoulder and went into the robot via ruined breastplate.

It exploded.  And being as close as I was, I was tossed backwards like a Danny rag doll.

I landed hard on my back.  Everything was swirling around me.  It was hard to get a bearing.

"Danny!  Wake up!"  

My eyes cleared enough for me to determine that it was Ray standing over me.  He saw me awake and looked immensely relieved.

"We've got to get you out of here.  There's more.  Let's go."  Ray dragged me to my feet, and I did my best to follow the people that were running around me.  My right leg hurt badly, or more specifically, my knee, and it was hard for me to keep up. But I managed to pull myself together enough to pull off a flat out run.

As my eyes cleared, I could tell that something had gone badly.  The fireslinger, whom I had thought to be Amara, turned out to be the Aussie.  The only people from the institute were Sam, Rogue, and Ray.  Lance and Wanda from the brotherhood and the aussie pyro from the alcolytes were the others.

Our jagged course somehow took us to an airfield.  There was a plane getting ready for takeoff, sitting there like the holy grail or something.  

"Get on the plane!"  Lance hauled forward, causing the rest of us to speed up.  Doggy decided to show him real running and blitzed past him over to where the open baggage compartment door was located.  He jumped in, and made his way to the back while the rest of us followed suit.  

We hid ourselves around the old ladies carpet bags and thirty day business trip bags, hoping against hope that more of those things didn't decided to pull a slasher (movies with the axe wielding murderers) movie type thing and jump in with us.

I guess we should have been wondering about the plane, because the baggage door suddenly closed and it started moving.  Everybody was silent as we all felt the pull of gravity fall away.

"Ah doan't suppose we cahn stop this plane."  Rogue poked her head out from beside a hideous flowered bag.

"I can.  But I don't think you guys will like the results."  Wanda struggled to get over a pile of bags, totally ignoring Sam's helping hand.

"Can't you guys call your boss? I mean, luv, you sheilahs got the guy who can tell what's going on in some joeys mind three hundred miles away!"  Aussie boy was fiddling with his lighter as he addressed Rogue and I.

"I tried that already!  Nohbodies answerin'!"  Rogue's hair was all messed up.

"Well," I managed to croak out as I tried to get up without squashing Herman, "I guess we're taking a road trip."

***^*^*^**^*^*^*^*^*^*^**^*^*^*

Alright!  Third chapter done!

Oh, and if you're wondering, there is such a thing as a Sun Spider.  I found a picture on the web, but it's not showing up.  If you put Sun Spider in google, you'll get it within the first five sites.  

Freaky looking thing.

Reviews so sweet

Shall surely meet

A shout-out trend

To those who send

Critiques shall see

Their way to me

Kind comments will find

My answers equally kind

Flames shall be trashed

After they turn to hash

So remember my words, though few

When you leave your review.


	4. Itty bitty felonies, quick discussion at...

Fourth chapter!

Flamingo :All your questions are soon answered.

Laureate:  What's her name?  

Dragonet:  Yes.  Herman is still being guarded.

Akai Kah'ghe: Err… actually, it IS a spider.  It's a very unique type that has ten legs and humongous jaws.

Disclaimer:  Go to someone else's fic. Find their disclaimer. Copy it. Come back here.  Paste it in this spot.

^*^*^**^*^*^*^*^*^*^^*

"I can't believe this!"  Lance furiously punched the side of the plane compartment.  "We're stuck away from everyone else, we don't know if everybody's even okay, and now we can't get home!"

"We don't know that.  As soon as we land, we can take a bus back or some thing." Ray was contemplating the iron at his feet.

"Um…guys?"  I looked up from scratching Doggy's neck.

"What is it, luv?" Aussie looked over at me.  He was holding his forehead.  Probably because he didn't want to listen to Lance.

"We're still in uniform," I pointed out.  "How are they gonna react to us on the bus?"

"Good point…" Sam looked around a little guiltily. "We're surrounded by clothes…"

"Gross." Rogue crossed her arms over her chest.

"But we gotta blend in.  Who knows when those things come flyin' after us!"  Sam picked up a decent looking bag and began to rifle through it.  "I guess it's just somethin' we gotta do."

All of them began to dig through the bags to find something that fit.  I sat where I was.  My knee was still killing me.  Doggy padded off and came back a minute later with a big brown bag.  Inside it were various t-shirts, jeans, etc.

I patted Doggy on the head. Wanda and Rogue appeared by my side a couple seconds later.

"You did better than I did."  Wanda peered into my bag.  Rogue crossed her arms and scowled at the rest of the guys.

"Me and the other two are going to our little section to get dressed.  Ah betta not see any sign of you four."

The aussie pyro grinned at her.

"Don't worry.  Doggy will be here." I patted Doggy's head.  "He won't let them near us."

I leaned forward and got to me feet slowly. There was no sense to rush things.  I followed Wanda and Rogue to the other side of the compartment, away from the boys who were already changing.

We quickly got our uniforms off (we all had some sort of undergarment on) and got dressed.  I took a considerable amount of time longer than they did.  I took me forever to get the new jeans on, and my new shirt was equally difficult because something on my back kept hurting.

"Your name is Danny, right?"  Wanda was looking at me.

"Yeah.  Why?"

"Two things.  There is something crawling around in your uniform," she pointed to the uniform I tossed on the floor, "and you're bleeding."  She pointed at my back.

"Oh. So that's why my back hurts."

Rogue came to look at my injury.  The lighting was bad, and I could barely see what I was doing.  I doubted she could tell.

"It's bleedin' alriaght. We cahn't do anythin' about it now, though."  She grabbed my old uniform shirt and pressed it to my wound.

Wanda was still staring at my uniform, which was still moving.  I used my foot to tip the jacket up, and Herman latched to my ankle.

"What is that?"  Wanda now stared at my ankle, mystified.

"It's Herman.  My friend bat."

"How wonderful."  She helped me get my shirt on and was going to ask me something else when we heard screaming from the boy's end.

"GET IT OFF!"

Wanda and Rogue both tore out towards the others while I limped to keep up.  When I got there I was treated to the scene of Lance standing on a bunch of bags and Ray and Sam trying to stop the Aussie from starting a fire in the compartment.

Something attached itself to the same ankle Herman was on.  I looked down to see Kally, huddling next to him.

It did not take a genius to figure out what happened.

"Okay… knock it off. It's just a rat."

The Aussie stared at me.  "It came out of his chest!"  He was pointing at Ray.

"Umm……Ray?"  

"She jumped off of my shirt when Lance shoved me."

"Oh…I guess it would have looked like it jumped out of your chest in this light."

All of the guys managed to calm themselves down.  I think I heard Wanda say something along the lines of 'wuss' when she walked by Lance.

I agree.

Doggy seemed totally amused by the entire affair.  He was perched on top of a bunch of old carpet bags, looking fairly smug.  I patted him on the back as I sat next to him.

Ray came over to me a little sheepishly.  Before he said anything, I pointed to my ankle.  He saw Kally and gently pulled her off my ankle and into the pocket of his shirt.

"Why do you have a rat, Ray?"  Rogue was staring at him.

"What rat?" He asked innocently.  Rogue shook her head.

"We need to get some first aid stuff.  Danny needs it."  Wanda glared at all of the guys.

Sam looked over at me concernedly, "You alright, Dan?"

"Fitter than a bumblebee in a honey hive."  I said with mock seriousness.

"She must be okay.  She can still crack jokes."  Ray was looking up at the ceiling.

"I hope we land soon."  Lance had climbed down from the bags.  "I get airsick."

"Peachy."  Aussie shuffled away from him.

**^^**^*^*^^**^*^^**^^*^*^

" Like where are they?  They didn't get captured did they?"  Kitty was hopping from one foot to another.

"We don't know.  There's no sign of them and we've looked everywhere."

Scott was doing his best to restore order.  All around him stood the x-men, alcolytes, and the brotherhood.  Or at least the ones who made it back to the institute.

"What about the professor?"  Amara peered over Roberto's shoulder.

"We don't know.  Something was fired at the X-jet.  He hasn't woke up yet."

"How are we going to get them back?"

"We don't know they were captured."  Jubes pointed out.  "Maybe they just couldn't get back to us."

"Either way, we have to keep a look out.  We know what we're dealing with now.  We just have to be careful." Scott looked at all of them.

"That is what Charles would want."  Magneto stood at the top of the stairs.  "We must be ever vigilant until he awakens again."

^*^**^^**^*^^*^*^*^*^^**^*^*^^**^

The compartment lurched again.  I think we were hitting turbulence.  

Doggy and I were huddled back into a corner with Wanda and Ray so we could have a little leverage against the bucking plane.

The other four were huddled in the next corner.  Lance had been shoved to the front so if he got sick, it wouldn't be all over them.

I felt the plane tip down and grabbed Doggy's collar before he could slip down the floor.  Herman was still clinging to my ankle and refusing to let go.  

The plane hit the ground a little hard, and Lance and aussie fell out of their corner into the baggage.  Ray managed to catch himself before he fell.

They struggled up as the plane slowed to a stop.  

"Now what?" Sam whispered as the lights got a little brighter.  Wanda looked a little annoyed.  Quite understandable, since it was at least six hours flying time.

"Why don't you just open the door?" Her voice carried a bit of a menacing hiss.

"How? It's locked from the outside!" Wanda and I both turned around to stare at him.  Understanding dawned onto his features.

"Oh…Right.  Stand back."  We all crammed ourselves as far away from the door as possible as he took a running start through the door.  And, judging by the yells outside, he must have surprised somebody.  

It's probably a good thing my fingerprints weren't in the system.

We all bolted, or in my case limped quickly, from the plane.  It was nighttime. Wanda hexed the baggage men outside and ran down the staircase.  Doggy and I followed.  Pyro jumped off the plane, Ray and Rogue used the side railings like fire poles and slid down.  Lance was last to get out and he took the stairs.  We all took off for the side fence after we collected a dizzy Cannonball.  Behind me I could here sirens.  Wanda stopped for something at the baggage cars but was soon running again.

It's an amazing thing.  That fence didn't have any holes until that night.  But something just went up and melted a big hole in the fence *cough* Pyro*cough*.

Doggy moved easily beside me as we made our escape from the airport.  The sirens faded into the night.  As of right now, we were home free.

Sort of.

"Where are we?" Ray looked around.  

"It appears to be a city."  Wanda pulled out something.  It was a first-aid kit. " There's a hotel over there."

"We don't have any money."  Rogue sighed.

Wanda walked over to an atm machine and hexed it.  It spat out about a thousand dollars.

"We do now."

"This is so wrong.  Mama wouldn't approve."  Sam shook his head.

"Mama approve of you dying?"  

"No."

"Then take the lesser of two evils."  Wanda seized my arm and steered me towards the hotel she pointed out earlier. It was dinghy, old, and looked like a house you would give to a dead guy.

I'm not sure how that works, but it's what it looks like.

Doggy trotted beside us. Herman had transferred himself to Doggy' collar and was flapping his wings in and out.  

Must be a version of bat aerobics.

Wanda ushered me through the door and we stood at the front desk, with the others shuffling in behind us.

"We want a room." 

The man at the front desk, a greasy ratty looking fella, leered at her.  "We only got one vacant."

"We'll take it."

He leered at her again and leaned back to grab the key, his eyes never leaving her body.  My arm was beginning to hurt.  She was digging her fingers into my flesh to the point that her knuckles were white.

He gave us the key and grinned at us again.  He had nasty looking teeth.  But before I could contemplate on how teeth got that nasty I was dragged off by Wanda and Rogue.

Doggy snuck in behind us as we climbed up the stairs.  All the guys fell in step behind us.

The man whistled lewdly at us as we disappeared up the stairs.

We found our room and opened it up.  It looked worse than the building outside.  But we were safe.  Wanda and Rogue dragged me into the bathroom to treat my wound while the guys sat in various places around the room.  

"I don't see any bullet."  Wanda was cleaning my wounds with toilet paper because she said she didn't want to contract a disease from the towels.  I couldn't really blame her.

"I think it grazed me." I stated the obvious, I know, but at least I was stating something.

"Actually, I think it may have actually hit you, but it probably dropped out."  Wanda gently poked a pretty deep looking circularish hole at the end of the long wound.  The bullet must have hit me at an angle, because the wound started lightly at the right side of my back and went across it, getting deeper until it finally ended on the left side of my back.

Rogue cracked open the first aid kit and pulled out a bunch of bandages.  She also took out some peroxide to pout on the wound so it didn't get infected. She used my old uniform shirt to put it on (I had the old shirt as a cushion against my back.).  It hurt, but I didn't go running off screaming like a baby.  Not that I could have.

Hurt really bad.

When they were done disinfecting my wound, they bandaged me back up.  I felt better knowing the wound had been cared for.  I managed to put the shirt back on with little help.  Then we started on my knee.  

When we were in the plane, I chose not to look at my knee.  I knew it wasn't broken, but they was it hurt, I knew it wasn't going to be pretty looking either.  I sat down on the edge of the dirty tub.  They rolled up my pant leg and I heard Rogue take a hissing breath.  That was too much for me and I forced myself to look.

My knee was covered with a very deep colored purple bruise.  All around that bruise were long, deep scratches.  I felt a little lightheaded.  

Rogue poked her head out the door. "Cahn you guys go fihnd some ice?"

There was a mutter of consent amongst the guys and Rogue pulled herself back in and shut the door.  She and Wanda ripped up my old shirt and set to disinfecting the scratches.

There was a knock on the door and Rogue reached out and pulled in a tub of ice.  It was as dinghy as the room, but we weren't going to drink it anyway.  She grabbed a couple of strips of my old shirt and made an ice pack.

As I sat there holding the ice pack against my leg and wincing as peroxide disinfected the cuts, Wanda started to grin.

"What are you grinning about?" 

"I just realized that I am sitting in a hotel room with a lovesick rocktumbler, a crazy alcolyte named John, a good ole boy from down south, a guy who sits around talking to a rat, another Goth, and a girl who ticked off people so bad they got her shot and ran over."

"I object.  That car was not part of them, it was just going the interstate."

"Fine.  A girl who ticked off people then went running across a busy interstate. And was surprised to get hit by a car."

"I would have made if it weren't for those pesky drivers," I joked.

Rogue snorted lightly as she put the peroxide back into the kit.  My leg was all bandaged up.  It looked as if no amount of ice would get the swelling down. Oh well.

We all managed to squeeze out of the bathroom.  It had been a tight fit to begin with.

"Feelin' bettah? "  Sam was looking up from a newspaper he found.  It was several days out of date.  I nodded.

Wanda walked over and took a closer look at the title.

"Holy….We're all the way on the west coast!"

"Actually, it's worse.  We're actually in Mexico." Ray was petting Kally, who was sitting on his knee.

"So where are we?  Latin Calfornia?*"

Sam stared at me.  "Latin California?"

"So I don't remember the exact name.  But you know what I mean."

"Yeah.  We're there."

"Great.  Peachy Keen."

"So what are we gonna do now?"  Sam looked around for suggestions.

"How far are we from the border?"  Wanda stared at the paper as if trying to divine answers from it.

"About thirty miles."  

"Perfect."  Everyone turned to stare at me.  I shrugged.  

"I got family in L.A."

^*^*^**^*^^**^**^*^*^*^^*^*^*^^*^^*^**^^^*

Well, Danny's all bandaged up.  Now they have to make it to L.A.

*Last time I checked, there is this little strip of land that goes off the west coast, and it actually belongs to Mexico.

Review!!!!!!!!!

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	5. Lawbreaking for dummies, everyone's worr...

Haha! The fifth chapter.  This is picking up a lot faster than all of my other stories.  I shall take it as a sign that I am improving.

Flamingo1:  Yes! That's what it was called! I've been wracking my brains to figure that out. 

Abigail Marie: Wait no longer.

Laureate:  Maybe she'll find him in a later chapter, hmmm?

Dragonet: I suppose we could.  Dex and Doggy would love to have a chat with your muses.

Akai Kah'ghe:  Yeah, it is pretty freaky.

Disclaimer:  X-men ain't mine.

**^*^*^*^^**^*^*^*^*^

"You know how to hotwire a car?"

"I'm not just another handsome face, you know."

Ray, Doggy, and I were hanging out behind the dinghy hotel, next to a big van.  It fit about eight people, which was just perfect.  Doggy and I were lookouts while Ray was messing with the wires underneath the wheel.  

"So how do you know so much so much about this?"  I looked down the street, trying to keep a lookout and be inconspicuous at the same time.

"Well, most of the time there's only a little stream of glue holding the plastic over the wires, and with this handy dandy pocket knife you allowed me to borrow," He gestured to my pocketknife, a really nice one with an engraving of a pack of coyotes on the handle, "I can cut around the edge with little cosmetic damage."

"What do you do if the doors are locked?"

"Use a brick."

"The wonders of modern carjacking."

"Yup."

Ray did something to the wires and suddenly the van roared to life. He sat up in the seat and closed the door. I went around the front and got in shotgun after Doggy. Doggy sat right behind us in the second row seat.

"Do you have your license, Ray?"

"We're stealing a car.  Do you think it really matters?"

"Yeah, but I'll get over it."

We drove to the front of the building where the others could see us.  They had been standing around in the lobby.   It looked as if they were all displeased about something.  Probably the clerk.  He still had rotten looking teeth.

John was first to get out of the lobby.  The others followed, slightly hurried.  

When they got into the van, they all jostled for good seats.  As it turned out, Sam, Lance, and John sat in the very back while Rogue and Wanda both sat on either side of Doggy.

Rogue looked around in disgust. "This thing is filthy!"

"Can't help that.  At least it's a ride with a full tank of gas."  Ray started to put the van into gear.

"Wanda?  Do you still have Kally and Herman?"  My question made Ray stop putting the van into gear.  He looked back at Wanda.

Wanda rolled her eyes.  "Yes, I have your precious rat.  She's right here."  She pulled the rat out of her pocket.  Kally ran off of her palm to perch on Doggy's collar.  Then she reached inside her shirtsleeve to pull out Herman, who she placed on his collar also.

Ray put the van in gear and took off down the road.

"Who wants to sing a song?"  John asked cheekily from the back.

"I know a song called 'kill the pyro.'" Wanda glared back at him.  The Aussie pyro then decided that silence was a better alternative.

*^*^*^*^*^^**^^*^*^*^*^*

Jean sighed as she put cerebro back on its stand.

"I'm sorry Scott, it's as if they disappeared of the face of the earth.  They're just…gone."  

Scott sighed and shook his head.  Magneto looked on with little emotion.  Mystique and Logan had been put in charge while Beast looked at the remains of one of the robots they had brought back.  As far as anyone knew, Pyro and Berzerker had taken it out.  And yet there was no sign of them.

"We will try again later.  Now you must get rest, for we may resort to physical search teams."  Magneto turned away.

"How can you be so calm?!"

Magnus turned to face Scott.  "Do not make the mistake that I do not care of their well-being.  One of my alcolytes is also missing.   You are not the only one who will lose trusted comrades."

 *^*^*^*^^*^*^^*^*^*^^*^*^^*^*^**^

"ON THE ROAD AGAIN! JUST CAN'T WAIT TO GET ON THE ROAD AGAIN!"

Lance and Wanda both had their hands over their ears.  Ray would have too, but he was driving.

"WHAT I LOVE IS MAKIN' MUSIC WITH MY FRIENDS! I CAN'T WAIT TO GET ON THE ROAD AGAIN!"

Sam and I were the loudest, having heard this song many times before and therefore knowing it by heart.  Rogue and John were jumping in every few seconds, singing bits they knew.

"ON THE ROAD AGAIN! GOIN' PLACES THAT I'VE NEVER BEEN!  SEEIN' THINGS I MAY NEVER SEE AGAIN, I CAN'T WAIT TO GET ON THE ROAD AGAIN!"

Ray's knuckles began to turn white.  I assume it was because he was enjoying our singing so gosh darned much.

"ON THE ROAD AGAIN! LIKE A BAND OF GYPSIES WE GO DOWN THE HIGHWAY! WE'RE THE BEST OF FRIENDS, INSISTING THAT THE WORLD BE TURNIN' OUR WAY!"

"ENOUGH! I'LL DO IT! I"LL TURN ON THE RADIO!"

Silence filled the van for about two whole seconds.  Ray had a death grip on the wheel and a slightly deranged look to him.  Wanda and Lance weren't much better off.

"We're glad you see it our way."  John quipped.

Ray rushed to turn on the radio.  It blared to life.

**And our way  
Is on the road again  
Just can't wait to get on the road again  
The life I love is makin' music with my friends  
And I can't wait to get on the road again**

"Yes!" Me and Sam both pumped our fists into the air.

"NO!" Ray hit the search button, presumably to get away from Willie Nelson.  Or he was just trying to kill the radio, and therefore have an excuse.

It hit a nice alternative rock station, and even though I know Ray would have usually hurt himself just to change the station, it had an unnaturally calming effect on him. 

I looked at him a little worriedly.  "Ray?  Are you enroute to your happy place?"

"Yeah."

"You wanna hand over the wheel?"

"Sure."  He pulled off to the side of the road. And got out.  I quickly ran over to the driver's side because he forgot to put the van in park and it was rolling away.  I managed to get in and stop it while Ray took shotgun.  Not an easy feat with an injured knee.  

I decided not to tell anyone I only had a driving permit.  After all, we were all kinda tired and after almost rolling away because Ray didn't put them in park, I don't think they needed anymore grief.

I am not like Kitty.  I actually drive fairly well.  Sometimes I have trouble keeping constant speed, but that's alright.  Sort of.

About twenty minutes down the road I began to hear snores.  I glanced up at the rearview and saw that Lance had his head back and was drooling, much to the disgust of John and Sam, who were on either side of him.  Wanda had her head on Doggy's shoulder, who in turn had his head on Rogue's knee.  She was looking out the window.  

About this time I had to turn my attention back to the road because I was getting really close to the line.  When I got it back where it was supposed to be, I snuck a glance at Ray.

Apparently getting to his happy place took a lot of energy, because he was slumped in his seat, fast asleep.  Kally was curled between his neck and shoulder.  Herman was still on Doggy's collar.

I turned the radio down a little because I saw yawns coming from the people that were awake.  Not that I could blame them.  We didn't sleep very much at all in the hotel.  I slept a grand total of about three and a half hours.  And I was the one that slept the most.

I drove silently while they slept, with only the radio for company.

*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^**^*^*^

It never occurred to me that we might hit customs in Baja California.  I guess they might have been looking for someone.  We were stuck in a fifty-car traffic jam as people got searched ahead of us.  The noise of all the cars woke up my passengers.  

"What's goin' ah-hoaughhhon?"  I assume Rogue was asking me what was going on, but she yawned in mid-sentence.

"Hey, what's that white stuff?"  Lance was pointing at something on the floor of the van.  John bent down to look at it.  He came back up real fast.

"We have a problem."

"What?"  Ray looked over his shoulder at them.

"Well…" John took a deep breath. "We have a fifteen year old sheilah driving the van.  And we have a strange white substance of which I'm fairly sure is not sugar."

It took a few seconds for that to register with the others in the van.  That's when Wanda struck on the meaning.

"We have DRUGS in this VAN?!"

"It's worse."  Wanda turned around to glare at me.  She's a little intimidating.  

"HOW is it WORSE?"

"We're about to get searched."  I pointed to the gate five cars ahead of us.

"Oh mah…Crap!  What are we gonna do?"  Rogue looked around for ideas.

"You guys picked a van with cocaine in it!" Wanda was still stuck on the drugs.

"We picked the van that could fit all of us!" Ray glared back at her.

"Quiet!"  Sam hissed out.

All the while, we had been pulling up.  Now it was our turn.

"Greetings Mam.  May I see your Driver's license?"  The guard was tall and god looking.  Or at least that's what I could tell from peripherals.  I didn't want to look him in the eye for fear that I might let something slip.  It was probably a good thing the van seem to suck in light, making it impossible to get a good look at me.

"Mam?  Did you know dogs are not allowed to cross the border unless you have a permit?"

This got me to look at him.  " There is no way in hell I will leave my dog behind."

I heard Ray take in a little breath.  The guard glared at me.  "You and the others step out of the car.  I want to see your ID's."

Alright, I had already ticked off the guard, I had no ID to speak of, and there was cocaine or some other drug on the floor of the backseat.  Plus I had a dog that couldn't go over the border. 

Yeah, I didn't have anything to lose.  I gave him my best grin, which probably looked pretty maniacal at the moment.  

"Holy-" Ray grabbed Kally as I put the pedal to the floor.  I totally took out the little crossing fence.  Wanda had anticipated I was going to do this and hexed the phone lines and walkie talkies so they couldn't call the cops on us right away.

For a dinghy old van, it had really good acceleration.  And the fact that I was a crazy driver hauling it probably helped.

We hit the border at about a hundred and five and were still climbing when sirens began going off.  Apparently the crossing guard's buddies had been closer than I imagined. 

Now I definitely didn't have anything to lose.  The cop cars, at least four of them, tried to cut me off by making the way too narrow.  However, being only on a permit, I do not understand the concept of not enough space.  

But they figured out the concept of getting hit by a van pretty quickly.  The van side swiped both of the cars that had been trying to cut me off, sending them careening into a ditch.  The other two backed off and settled for bumping my rear bumper with their cars.  

So I braked.  In a panic, one of cars went barreling into the other one.  They both hit the ditch.

Thankfully no one was hurt. The cops were staring at us when we made tracks.

^*^*^**^*^

The first town we were in, we ditched the van.  And I was forbidden ever to drive again.  But I earned Wanda's admiration.

"I can't believe you were stupid enough to pull that stunt!"  She was giving me an evil look while the guys and Rogue escorted Ray off to find another car.  We didn't need anymore incidents.  Doggy, Herman, and Kally were wandering off to go find some chow.  When there was just me and her, she actually broke into a grin.

"It was stupid, but wicked.  How'd you learn to drive like that?"

"Actually I don't really know how to drive.  I'm still on a permit."

She shook her head and laughed.  She sobered up fairly quickly.  

"What do we do about that?"  She asked gloomily staring at the van.

"I don't know. It has our fingerprints.  We'll have warrants out on us."

"We already do." She pointed out.  Then she looked up suddenly.  "We'll get rid of it!"

"We determined that we need to do that already."

"I know that!"  She scowled at me.  "But I know how to do it."

"What?  We ask Lance to bury it or something?"

"I was thinking more along the lines of burning it to a crisp then melting it to slag."

"Pyro."

"Yep."

She ran off to go get John.  I stood all by my lonesome, guarding the van.  

After a couple minutes, I got uneasy.  It was a strange place, Doggy and the other two were wandering, and all of the others were off with Ray. 

A light clicking sound caught my attention.  Something was moving towards the van.  I turned and ran into an alleyway.  Well, I sort of ran.  

Another one of those big machines came walking up to the van.    The big nasty ones with teeth.  It looked into the van, ripping off a door in the process.

_Danny? Are you there? There._

_Dan!  There isa thing bythevan where areyou?_

(I'm here) I whispered.  No sense in speaking too loudly.  (Don't come near.)

_What should we do? We do._

(Get the others.  Don't let it see you.)

I couldn't feel them anymore, so I turned my attention back to the robot.  It was ripping up the van.

At least we wouldn't have to worry about fingerprints, I thought as the wheel went flying by where I was sitting.

"Danny!  Where are you, you're dog is goin' crazy!"  

Sam.  He didn't realize…

The droid went into a crouch. I got up and yelled at the top of my lungs.

"Don't come!  It's one of those robots by the van!  It- oh CRAP!"

I ducked down fast as the robot leapt at me.  It sailed over me and I hauled myself out of the hiding space and ran off.  The robot recovered and was a few steps behind when a Cannonball (literally!) went flying past me and landed Robot into the van.  It fizzled and snapped a bit, but didn't get back up.

Sam ran back up to me. "You ahlright?"

"Yeah."

"Cahn't stay outta trouble, cahn ya?"

*^*^*^^*^**^^**^^*^*^**^*^^*^*

Alrighty then!  I had lots of fun with this chapter.

Herman is looking for reviews!


	6. Special relations, bad news, and some we...

Akai Kah'ghe:  Thanks.  You should see what I have planned for later chapters.

Laureate: What is FLCL?

Abigail Marie:  Yah, that's one of my favorites too.

Jc:  Thanks.  I hope you like the next chapter too.

Disclaimer:  LALALALLALALALLA! X-men will probably never be mine.

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I toyed with the idea of starting a singing round again, but Lance was driving and I didn't know how he'd react. Probably run the van into a ditch.

We had taken care of the other van, though because of the robot there had been little to take care of.  John had a grand old time.

Our new van was nicer, cleaner, and devoid of any illegal substance.  Gold star for us.

"What ah wahnt to know is why these things are so easy to beat."  Rogue had taken shotgun this time.  Doggy was sitting between Sam and Wanda, and I was sitting window seat next to John, who in turn was next to Ray, who had fallen back asleep.

John snorted softly.  "Just be glad they are sheilah.  With the way things are, we wouldn't have a whole lot of chance against any of the buggers."

I felt my eyelids growing heavy.  I only had three hours of sleep in about two days.

"So what kind of family you got in L.A ?"  Damn.  Almost got to sleep.  I looked over at Lance.

"Uncle."

"He a close uncle?  What?"

"He's a black sheep, and my parents don't like him to hang out at my house."

There was a brief silence, then Wanda tapped me on the shoulder.

"We're going to see an uncle of yours you barely see?"

"Not really.  I got phone calls from him all the time."

"Uh, he doesn't have like, a record only a mother could ignore, does he?"  Lance signaled to change lanes.

"Of course not.  He's never been arrested."

"Well, what do ya mean by black sheep?"  Sam was curious.

"He'd decided that country life was no life for him and took off for L.A.  He's also a little...special."

"Geez!" Wanda slumped back into her seat.

^*^*^**^*^*^^**^*^*^**^

"Jean! What is it?"

Jean looked over her shoulder to see Scott.  He was full of hope, but as soon as he saw her face, he turned serious.

"What's wrong?"

"Just got a report from Angel." Logan and Ororo walked towards him.  

"It appears that the droids that we were attacked by earlier are moving."  Ororo watched Scott.  "They may be going after other mutants."  

"Why?  What is there purpose?"

"Search and gather information."  The group whirled around to see Magneto and Hank.

Hank stepped forward with a small device in his hand.  "This device records information on mutants, and sends them back to where ever.  It is not operational now."  He handed the device to Logan.

"So these things are just an appetizer?"  Logan turned the device over in his hand.

"Yes, but that's not the bad news."

"There's more?!"

"Yes.  As McCoy explains it to me, a great number of these droids have disappeared.  It can only mean one thing."  Magneto watched their reactions.

"And what would that be? " Logan growled.

"They are after our missing comrades.  And we have no way of tracking them or warning our comrades."

^*^**^^*^*^**^^*^*^**^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^

L.A. is so big.  And noisy.  And crude.  I never heard words like that before.

Lance stuck his head out the window and yelled at someone who was too close to his bumper.  I sighed and leaned my head back.  This traffic Jam would take awhile to get through.

"We're gonna have to ditch this thing anyway, why don't we ditch it now?"  John was yelling.

"We cahn't leave it heah, we'll get arrested!" Rogue glared back at him.  Yeah, we'll get arrested for leaving our car unattended.  Never mind the fact that we stole it, committed a variety of felonies, was in the possession of an illegal substance, etc.

But I decided not to mention that.

I looked around at the street signs.  My uncle black sheep had made me memorize the ways I could get to his work.  He said that I was special and that he would wait for me to come visit him. If he only knew.  He visited a couple of times before my parents forbade him to come back.  They thought he was a bad influence on me.  But he always dropped calls for me and all of my siblings, asking how we were doing.  

But I guess my parents never gave him the institute's phone number, because he never called.  

I sighted a street sign I remembered.  "Lance!  Pull off here, I know the way from here!"

Lance did so, glad to be out of the bustle.  We clambered out, and Lance quickly wiped the steering wheel and side doors.  No sense leaving finger prints.  

I led the way with Doggy padding beside.  Kally was with Ray and Herman had developed a liking to the inside of my shirt.  

^*^*^*^*^**^*^*^*^*^*^

"How much longer?" Ray panted.  Me and Sam were sweating, but that was because of the humidity.  The others were just out of shape.

"One more block."  I squinted at the sign ahead of us.  A bar.

The guys all whooped and broke thier paces more evenly.  The girls kept up with us.  Barely.

Lance was the first one at the door and swung it open and rushed with the other guys into the air conditioning.  I was about to go inside too, when Ray backpedaled out.

"That is not a normal bar."

"I told you he was special."  I shoved him back in.  "Don't be disrespectful of my kin."

I think Wanda and Rogue may have hesitated, because they came in a full second behind me.  To tell the truth, I was a bit embarrassed myself.  Girls don't usually hang out in gay bars.  All the guys in the bar stared at us.  

Lance and the other three, had a sort of 'deer in the headlight look' that men who just stumbled into the last place on earth they want to be often have.

I chose to become blissfully unaware and walked up to the barkeep.  

"Good morning sir, is the owner in?"

"Robbie? What do you need to see him for?"  The barkeep was big, with black hair and blue eyes.

"Robert Nesmond is my uncle."

"And who are you?"

"Danielle Nesmond.  Also known as Danny."

The barkeep actually broke into a grin.  "Hell, I thought you might be her. He described you pretty good. I'll call him. How long you been in LA?"

"In twenty-two hours it will be exactly one day."  I commented dryly.

He picked up a phone on the bar.  "Jimmy?  Somebody here to see you.  No, I'd think you wanna see for yourself."  He put the phone down smugly.  He nodded to my companions.  

"Road trip?"

"You could say that, sir."

"Don't call me sir.  Call me Andy."

"You could say that, Andy."

"DANNY!"

I turned around to see a man with well groomed brown hair and my same gray eyes.

"Uncle Robbie!"  Uncle Robbie gave me a big hug.  He was a couple inches taller than I. 

"What are you doing here Dan? And who are your friends?"  He was looking at my group of friends behind me.  I introduced them all to Uncle Robbie.  He shook their hands, though I noticed Lance was a little reluctant.

"Why don't we all go into the back?  You guys look hungry!"

^*^*^^**^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^^*^*^**^*^*^*^*^*^

Lunch (or was it dinner? Breakfast?  I hate time changes.) was a simple affair of microwave dinners.  But none of us complained.  I decided to tell Uncle Robbie about my new life.

"And now Doggy and I hang out at the institute."

"Strange.  How did they find you?  Transcripts?  Good looks?"

"Very funny.  I'm a mutant.  And so are they."  I guess that delivery was a little sudden, because he had been drinking a soda and choked on it.  He cleared his throat.

"Well, I knew you were different, but not that way…How do you know?"

"I can talk to animals.  It's really interesting."  
"Ah."  He chewed on that for a while.  "Well I would have picked the power to become totally irresistible, but whatever life gives you-"

"Uncle Robbie!"   I laughed.  This was one of the reasons I liked Uncle Robbie so much.  He always looked at everything with rose colored glasses.  It was all good.

"I have a power too."

I glanced up at him. "What?"

"I have the power to predict things.  I predict that you've been in trouble.  And unless I'm wrong, which you know Danny, a Nesmond is never wrong, you need a little help."

I hung my head. "Yeah.  We need to get back across to the east coast, and we got these things chasing us.  I'm sorry I brought you into it."

"Tosh.  You know I would have jumped in sooner or later anyway.  What kind of trouble is it?"

"Err. Well you wouldn't want to hear about it."

"Humor me."  Uncle Robbie poured some more soda into my cup.    

"Well, we hitched an illegal ride onto a plane, busted into an atm and stole money, paid for a night in a dinghy motel with said money, stole a van and drove it to the border only to realize it was full of illegal substances, took out a federal checkpoint, ran four cops off the road resisting arrest, ditched the van in the nearest town we got to, to be attacked by some robot after out poor mutant hides, committed arson of a whole different degree, stole another van, ditched it about three miles away, and came here."

"And that was only in two days," Ray remarked from his TV dinner.

"You forgot to mention you were the one that ran the cops off the road and destroyed the checkpoint."  Lance reminded me.

"Sheilah's got driving skills that put me to shame."  John said into his soda.

"Oh, you ain't seen nothing yet, sweethearts.  Once a Nesmond gets into a bit of trouble, they go the whole haul."  Uncle Robbie was laughing.  "I'll tell you what.  I'll give you guys a van and you can take it.  I'll even call Spike to keep an eye out for you if you get into trouble."

"Spike?"  Rogue wondered.

"My cousin.  He's a gourmet chef." I informed her.  In truth, I wanted to see Spike very much.  "Thanks, Uncle Robbie."

"Don't worry about it.  You don't think Spike hasn't done this before?  He's pulled more crazy stunts in one day than my brother, your father, would pull in a life time."

Uncle Robbie showed us all to our rooms.  He segregated boys from girls, because he said he knew those boys were straight.  I asked him how he knew, and he told me it was a repressed mutant ability.   Even though it was the middle of the day, me and the other two girls were dog tired.  I lay down on a cot and let my arm dangle down where I could scratch Doggy's ears.  Herman crawled out of my shirt and curled up on my stomach.  

_Where do we go now? Now._

(Hopefully we start home.)

_Your uncle is strange. Uncle. But nice. But nice._

(Thanks.  Yeah, he's a bit strange.)__

_But nice._

(Yes. He's my favorite uncle.)

"Hey Danny."

"Yes Wanda?"  I shifted slightly so I could see them.

"Your family, is it filled with lunatics?"

"Not my immediate family, but a couple here and there, yes."

"Spike and Uncle Robbie?" 

"Special cases."

"Why didn't yo' parents tell your Uncle that you wer' a mutant?"  Rogue looked at me seriously. I moved a little uncomfortably, but stopped when Herman began to chatter at me in annoyance.

"Probably a couple of reasons.  Didn't want my Uncle to come see me if I was a mutant.  Didn't want my uncle to talk with me without them there to stop me from going astray."

"Astray?"

"My uncle is not the best role model.  They don't want me hanging out with Spike either.  They think he's a worse influence then Robbie."

"Is he?"

"Spike wouldn't ask me to do anything that would get me in trouble.  Neither would my uncle.  But they both have bad reputations with my parents, so it goes."

"If that's true, what do they think about you?"  Wanda watched my face as I tried to explain.

"They love me to pieces.  But I'm an anomally, something so out of the ordinary.  They know I'm a good person, and that I would never drag my siblings into anything.  But I'm also a mutant, and whether you guys know it or not, mutants don't exactly get great press.  So I guess, in a way, by keeping me away from my uncle and cousin, they can stop me from being a bad mutant.  Or something bizarre like that that only makes sense in Parent's minds."

"Weird."

"I can't help that."

"True.  Let's get some sleep."

^**^*^*^*^*^^**^*^^*^*^*^**^*^*^*^^**^**^*^*^

Well, isn't this little story wracking up a crime spree?

I have to do research.  More lawbreaking stuff.

Herman will NOT take reviews today.  Doggy will take reviews.  He is feeling nostalgic.

Doggy: Woof!

  
  



	7. Pacific Grove, ending the search, and sl...

Disclaimer: X-men isn't mine.  

Laureate: No, I do not believe Danny will drink… Danny and I share a sort of clean, happy mind principle.  It goes perfectly with our happy places.  Yeah, I saw ads for that.  I'm kinda scared to watch it.

Akai Kah'ghe:  I have a good scattering of them.  But really, I don't think my family considers them oddballs.  Bat treats?  Do they sell those at Petco?   Hmm…SHOPPING TRIP!

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Leave it to John to be arrested for harassing a butterfly.

Perhaps I should start back when Uncle Robbie waved us out.  He gave us this mini bus (I have no idea why he had it) that could fit about twelve people.  But thankfully, it forego being bright yellow.

We had started out of LA with Wanda, of all people, driving.  Wanda told us that if I, Ray, and Lance could drive, so could she.  I decided not to mention the fact that Ray and I were both underage and almost got them all arrested.  Many times.

But somehow or other, perhaps due to the guy who was reading the map *cough* Sam *cough* we managed to end up in a place called the Pacific Grove.  Which, if I'm not mistaken, is back towards the coast we are trying to get away from.

Anyway, we decided to take a break to get our bearings.  Probably not a good idea.  Uncle Robbie gave us all some new clothes, and John was wearing a shirt that screamed of tropical flowers.  

So it should not have been a surprise that the pretty monarchs decided to descend on him.  Monarchs are usually pretty timid, sweet things.  I have no idea why John freaked.  But to make a long story short, he began yelling something totally foreign to my ears.  It was probably not foreign, but I decided not to allow my sweet ears to hear them, though I bet I was saying close to the same things when I ran across the freeway about three days ago.

He tried to bat them away, but they were fairly tricky and kept eluding him. The rest of us just watched with that fascination that only comes when a person is being attacked by butterflies.  Then a cop arrived and arrested him.  Apparently, in Pacific Grove, it is illegal to 'molest butterflies' and can result in a five hundred dollar fine.  

A story for my grandchildren.  

But that was why we were here, in front of a courthouse, debating who should go in.  I was effectively left out, because I was far too young to take our case to the judge.  Thank goodness for small favors.

"I'm not going in there!"

"Face it Lance- you're going in there!"

"No way!  Why don't you just hex him out?"

"Oh, yeah, let's draw attention to ourselves!"

I probably should be changing the word debate to 'arguing with Lance' but even so, the meaning is the same. Doggy was leaning against me, watching some Jack Russel Terrier on the leash of a *ahem* portly woman.  I put my hand on his collar, and noticed for the first time how worn out it was.  I needed to get him a new collar.

"ALRIGHT!  I'll go in.  But you guys owe me."  Lance turned and stalked into the courthouse.  Ray looked at Rogue quizzically.

"What do we owe him for?"

"Beats me."

Around this time, Herman decided to nose his way out of my shirt.  He poked his head out over my collar and sniffed the air.  The lady with the Terrier gave me a look of utter disgust.  I assume it was because she had something against bats.  There was just no accounting for bad taste anymore.

We stood out there for about a half hour when John and Lance hurried back out.  They waved away all of our questions and got into the van.  Wanda snatched Driver's seat again.  Doggy and I got into the very back with Sam.  John took the back middle seat with Rogue, and Lance and Ray took the front middle.  The bus has four rows of seats.

Wanda kicked it into gear and went down the road again.  Can't wait to get on the road again.  I'd better stop that.  She might decide hexing me is the answer to all of her problems.

"Why are were you two in such a hurry?"  Ray was looking at Lance.  Lance looked at us all a little sheepishly.

"They asked me for my phone number and address."

Wanda took her eyes off the road.  "Did you give it to them?!"

"Get your eyes on the road, sheilah!"

She jerked back to the road in time to narrowly avoid one of those signs.  The ones that say the appropriate speed limit.  I doubt we were going the speed it was suggesting.

"Of course I didn't.  What do you think, I'm stupid?"  I think Wanda was seriously considering that question.

"Then what did you do?"  Ray asked.

"I gave him the number and address of the pizza hut I saw in LA."

"Good thinking."

"Yeah.  But that means they'll be looking for Jack and Louis Reddington."

Rogue snorted.  "Jack and Louis?"

"It was the only thing I could think up at the time."

"Wanda!  EYES!"  John was a bit frantic.

"I know what I'm doing, John!"

**^*^*^*^^**^^*^*^*^^**^*^*^*^*^*^^^*^*^**^*^*^*^^

"Kurt?"

"Nothing. Ze just disappeared."

"No sign of them anywhere."

Kurt and Kitty awaited further orders. Scott and the others in charge, Logan, Storm, Mystique, and Magneto, digested this new piece of information.

"We cannot spend anymore resources looking for them."  Magneto had an undercurrent of emotion to it.  Scott wondered what it could be.  Sadness, perhaps?

"We can't just leave them behind." Storm's voice carried a slight protest.  After all, it had only been three days.

"We must deal with our own survival now.  We must wait no longer for them."  Logan growled at his words, but did not disagree.  

^*^*^**^^*^*^*^^*^**^^*^**^*^*^*^*^^**^

"And here…we are!"

There was a cheer throughout the bus when it passed the California border.  Only took us four days to get out of the state.  And three map readers.  Life was good.

Wanda had given up the wheel after she almost ran a semi off the road.  She thought it might be best because she had to pull off the side so people that felt sick could get a breather.  Doggy threw up.  So did Sam.  I managed to keep my cookies down, if one will pardon the phrase.  But it was difficult.  Herman became permanently attached to my neck.  I think he may have been traumatized.  The others weren't too well off either. 

As it was, Wanda was forced to take back seat to John.  John is a fairly good driver.  On open stretches. Away from other cars.  Yeah.

Our new seating arrangement gave Doggy and I our own seat, once again in the very back.  Rogue and Sam sat back middle, Lance and Wanda took the front middle, with Ray as shotgun.

But we managed to get out of California without getting arrested (sans John's 'incident') which probably only proves that we're insane.  Yet another good song. 

"So what state are we in now?" Ray was one of the map readers.  Which made that question incredibly dense.

"According to that sign," Wanda squinted out the window.  "Oregon."

"Oregon?  Hey, why is this Oregon purple?   Aren't they usually green on the maps?"  Leave it to John to be an expert on maps.  

"Manhksdph."

"What was that, Rogue?"  Lance looked back at Rogue, then cracked up.

"She's talking in her sleep, guys."

Wanda turned around in her seat to look at Rogue.  She wrinkled her nose.  "She's drooling too."

"Swahmp Rah…"

"What did she say?"

"Ah think she said Swamp rat."  Sam was biting his lip, trying to keep from laughing aloud.

Wanda snorted.  "She's having dreams about your buddy John."

"Not surprising Sheilah.  Lots of ladies have dreams about him.  Or at least he says so."

"Peihtoh….."

"What was that?!"  Ray had to bite a bit of his sleeve to hold back a roar of laughter I know was building.

"Think she said Petrol?  Freaky…."  Sam was about to put his hands over his delicate ears.  Wanda had a funny look on her face.

"I think she said Pietro."  

I snorted loudly, then put my hand up to my mouth to stifle it.  It was a wonder Rogue hadn't woken up yet.  It was a wonder John hadn't run the bus off the road.  He was shaking a lot from laughter.

"Schotts…."

"Is she having a dream with all the guys she knows or something?!"  Wanda had hid down in her seat because she had to take a couple breaths.  

"If that was true, than why is Summers in it?  Everyone knows he's not a man."  Lance sat back smugly.  Doggy put a paw over his face and I had to bite my lip against the laughter that was threatening to pour out of my mouth.

"Piegterh…."

"Piotr too?"  John choked back more laughter.

"Not a bad choice."  Wanda muttered under her breath.  

"Who's gonna be next?"  Lance looked at the Rogue for the next word to pop out.  As we all were.  Except for John.  I hope.

"……choclatesh…"

Wanda couldn't hold back her laughter anymore.  As soon as she started the rest of us did too.  Rogue sat bolt upright.

"Whashat?"  Apparently she was still a little sleepy.

Wanda was laughing too hard to say anything.  Ray and Sam both had tears streaming down their faces. Lance and John were howling with laughter.  I buried my face into Doggy's shoulder.  I had tears too.  I was making Doggy's coat soggy.

"What's goin' on?"  Rogue got over her sleepiness pretty fast.  She glared at all of us.  

Lance was first to get over his laughter.  " You were dreaming.  Did you know you talk in your sleep?'

"Ah do not!"

"Yeah you do."

"Yeah."

"Ah'm afraid so."

Rogue glared at Sam, Ray and Lance.  Then she turned back to me.

"Do ah?"  

"Yes."

"What did ah say?"

"Something about Remy, Pietro, Scott, Piotr, and I think the last word was Chocolate."

She looked at me for a minute, then the realization hit her.   

"That's not what it's ahbout!"

"What was it about then?"  Wanda had a smirk on his face.

"Ah was at an ice cream shop and they were there!  I ordered chocolate!"

"With three decent looking guys?  Yeah, right."

"Three?" Ray looked confused.

"I do not look at my brother, thank-you."

"Oh yeah.  Pietro."

"Ah swear!  That's what the dream was about!"

"Yeah right!"

And that was how I learned that Rogue dreams about *ahem* ice cream parlors.  

It's incidents like these that makes a girl wonder if she'll ever get back home.

*^*^*^*^*^^**^^*^**^**^

Bwahahahahahha!  

Yes, I realize that there have been several stories in which Rogue talks in her sleep, but I just couldn't help myself.

Doggy is through with being nostalgic.  Actually he isn't, but he got in trouble with another story.  Herman is still attached to someone's neck, so Kally will take the reviews this chapter.__


	8. Hyenas, robots, and elephants, oh my!

Disclaimer:  Nothin' to see here folks, ya seen it all before.

Flamingo1:  You're the first to say that about Kally.  I hesitate to ask about what law-breaking stuff you've been into.

Akai Kah'ghe:  He would, but unfortunately he's eating a burger right now.  *hands Akai a Herman pushie*  For you.

Laureate:  Doggy is in trouble because of the fire incident.  However, I believe my wrath has died down.   Indeed, we'll see.

Dragonet: Yes, yes they do.  Much trouble they see.

LemonPepsi:  Don't hurt yourself!  *gives side ache remedy*

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"I want to stop."

"Why?"

"Because we've been driving for six hours straight and we're still in Oregon!"

I hope no one lets it slip to Mr. McCoy that we can't read maps.  He'll make us stay with him two hours a day just for studying.  Not that I have anything against him, but I really don't want to study maps.   What else can send me to sleep so fast?

"Can't you guys read a map?"

"We were doing just fine until you started helping Lance!"

"I still want to stop!"

"Wanda, just deal with it- Oww!"

That was Lance getting hexed by Wanda.  Again.  She's getting really good at that.  The first time she hexed people, she almost hit me.  It was probably due to the fact that I was part of the problem, but I won't get into that.

"Oh look! A zoo!"

"Why would ah care about that? Why would we?"

"We could stop and get food and then get directions."

"That's the best idea you've had, mate.

They all congratulated Ray.  A zoo.  The perfect place to get a little extra exercise in.  The bus made an illegal turn into the zoo parking lot.  But there were no cops around to arrest us this time.

We all abandoned the bus like a rats abandon ship. Herman snuggled pretty deep into my shirt.  Doggy was whining and hopping up and down.  They were hungry.  Kally was asleep.  She could sleep on a clothesline if Ray let her.

Wanda passed out the money.  We had to hex another atm after John's problem.  Our last tribute to California.

"Alright, we'll meet back here in," Lance looked at his watch.  Six other wrists went up to show they had no watch. He glared at all of us. "How are we gonna come back here at the right time?"

"We're not exactly on the bosses money, mate.  We'll find each other."

Lance rolled his eyes and shrugged.  We all took that as a cue to wander off.  I payed my way and slipped off with Doggy before anyone could catch us.  I know I should have waited for someone like Sam, but I was a little tired of being guarded everywhere I went.  Well, guarded by mutants.  Doggy and Herman were family.

The zoo was really big, with even a nice dolphin exhibit.  I didn't go to the dolphin exhibit, I wandered over to the hyena exhibit, which was on the other side to the zoo.  There was a little stand with Hamburgers.  I brought three of them.  Whatever Herman didn't eat, I could.  I ordered them plain because I didn't know if Herman liked ketchup.

I sat on a bench, letting my two pals eat, looking at the hyena pen.  It was empty except in the cave.  There was a big female almost at the mouth watching me.  I left Doggy and Herman at the bench to eat and walked over to the fence.  The female saw me coming and came out of the cave to meet me.  

If one has never seen a hyena, allow me to describe it.  Hyenas are about the size of a large dog (indeed, they are dogs), with big paws and even bigger jaws.  Jaws that could take someone's head off without flinching.

She was pretty though.

_And who might you be?_

Her voice was amused, as if she didn't see me as a threat, but an oddity worth a little attention.

(I'm Danny.  Who are you?)

_I am Hezibah.  Alpha female without pack.  Why are you not in cage?  Surely you are not human._

(I'm a mutant.)

Hezibah knew you were not human.  Humans do not smell like you. 

(Should I take that as a compliment?)

_Hezibah does not care how you take it.  But take offense from Hezibah, Danny need not._

(Then I'll take it as a compliment)

_Very well. Hearkan!  Something in the wind has changed. _

I raised my head to look around.  Sudden warnings like that make me wary.  I heard a deep low growling.  Doggy had left his sandwich and had his ears perked up.  Herman was sniffing the air.  They and Hezibah weren't the only ones.  All animals within the area had fallen silent.  It was like someone put a mute button on them. 

I backed away from the fence.  The last thing I wanted to happen was to be trapped against a fence.  

(Hezibah, Herman, Doggy, what is it?)

Doggy only responded by deepening his growl.

_There are things coming.  Coming._

_Hezibah smells fear.  Hezibah is angry._

(Calm down.  When will they get here?)

_They are here now.  Hezibah sees them.  They watch you Danny._

Which part of that statement scared me the most I couldn't say. Hezibah could see them.  I looked around.  I couldn't see anything.

But then again, if I could see them it would defeat the purpose.

A sound caught my attention.  Grinding metal.  And I sincerely doubted Magneto had taken a trip to Oregon.  But anything would be better than what I was pretty sure it was.

I probably should have rephrased that.

Not one, not two, but five of my good robot buddies came waltzing out from behind different exhibit areas.  Sadly to say, I was gravely outmatched.  So I did what any mutant with five killer robots facing her would do.

I screamed and ran away.

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"How many of these things are there?"

Scott and Kurt ha managed to slip into an underground plant.  The right one this time.  Rows upon rows of droids, the ones that collected information, were lined up against the walls, ready to be used against mutants.

"Let's take zem out."

"I'm with you.  Let's do it."  Scott pulled off his visor.

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You'd think screaming and running from five killer robots would attract some zoo security, but no.  People these days.  So desensitized by modern television and violence.

I was lucky my knee was heeling so nicely.  Of course, after this was over I'd probably have to walk around on crutches but it would probably be better than the alternative six steps behind me.  All five of them.

I admit I am not the fastest runner.  But I'm pretty good when it come to endurance and agility.  Both of which were probably saving my neck.  Did I happen to mention that every time I passed an animal pen they were rooting for me?  At first I thought it was people, then I realized I could only hear them in my head.   

I had no idea where Doggy and Herman were.  Probably trying to get a hold of somebody.  Or eating the rest of their hamburgers. Either way, I was probably gonna run out of gas before they could help.

_COME TO US._

That was a surprising development.  I looked ahead. 

An elephant exhibit.  With three very big elephants.  Very big.   Right next to them was a guy in a trench coat, but he wasn't important. The nice, large, big and protective elephants were important.

The elephant exhibit had a wooden fence that would not keep a determined two year old out, much less a desperate fifteen year-old.  I actually vaulted the fence.  The first time I vaulted something over four feet high.  I twisted my bad knee when I landed, but I was too pumped up on adrenaline to care.  I darted in between the legs of one of the bigger elephants.  She ducked her head down so she could ward robots off with her tusks.  The other two trumpeted forward.  

Two of those robots didn't have a chance.  They didn't have the sense to jump away when the elephants stepped on them.  One got caught up in a trunk and was tossed over thirty feet.  The other two skirted them and tried to take on the big one that was protecting me.

I never quite realized how bad of an idea it is to tick of an elephant until that moment.  She barreled forward and met both of them in mid-jump (the robots were jumping, elephants are not big jumpers.) and took them right through the fence.  Then she rammed them into the sidewalk, breaking their poor robot bodies.  Never before have I loved elephants so much.

(Thank-you.  You're wonderful.)

_WE WOULD NOT ALLOW THEM TO HURT ANYONE._

(Those are very noble sentiments.  Thank- you again.)

_WE ARE NOBLE CREATURES.  THANKS IS NOT NEEDED._

(It makes me feel better to say it.)

_VERY WELL.  YOU'RE WELCOME._

She reached her head down so I could pat it.  One of her buddies gave me a lift back over the fence.  I didn't want to walk over the crushed portion.  The adrenaline was wearing off.

Now the security started showing up.  Sure, an elephant beats up a robot and everyone gets over here lickety-spit, and a girl gets chased by said robots and it's no big deal.

LOOK OUT! 

The thundering voice in my head got me dizzy.  I looked up to see the robot that had been tossed coming after me again.  And the elephants could do nothing.

I felt a deep sort of shock numbing me.  No way I could get away from it.

**BOOM!**

The cannon went off right next to my ear.  I through myself flat, trying to get my hearing back.  A robot head bounced past me.  Somebody grabbed my arm.  I think the elephants were trumpeting, but I couldn't hear all that good.  They pulled me off somewhere.  I was still dizzy from the elephants warning.  

I was pulled into some sort of alleyway between buildings. Whoever it was who grabbed me, we picked a pretty good hiding space, because I could see people running past us.  And I was getting a tad of my hearing back.  Enough to know they couldn't find us.

"Who are you?"

I looked up towards the voice.  It was a lot farther up then I was..  The guy in the trench coat.  It was long and black.  He also wore a black fedora, with copperish wisps of hair showing.  He had the cannon in the hand that was not at my elbow.  It was a designer piece, the kind custom made.

"Who are you?"  he repeated.  He looked down at me.  He had to be almost a foot taller than I was.

"Danny.  Who are you?"

"Call me Arcane." 

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Told you guys he'd show up.  About time.  

Kally is taking reviews today! 


	9. Dumpsters, midnight snacks, and No! We a...

Disclaimer: Nothing of marvel's is mine.  Nothing is perfect.  Therefore, I own my own characters and perfection.

Akai Kah'ghe:  Don't forget to leave reviews to tell me how they were.

Weeble Wobble Chic: I have to…Why?

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My knee was hurting so bad.  Of all the embarrassing predicaments.

Doggy and Herman were who knows where, I was being chased by zoo security for siccing elephants on robots, and I was hiding out behind a building with a guy I just met, who seemed to have an affinity for Shaft.  And if I said things couldn't get any worse, I would have to shoot myself because those have to be the worst words in all of existence.

"So who are you?"

"Didn't I answer that question already?"  I asked a little irritatedly.  I hate having to repeat myself.  So annoying.

"Not to my satisfaction."

"Gee, if everyone answered everything to my satisfaction, I wouldn't be hanging out here with you."  I'll admit I was a little rude.  But my knee really hurt.  And it was pounding.  Is that natural?

"Do you usually treat everyone who saves your life this way?"  He tipped his head back to glare at me with paleish green eyes.

"Only you.  You must be special," I snapped.

"What is your problem?!"

"My problem?  I just got ran around by five robots!  I've lost my friends!  I don't know who the hell you are!  I'm hiding away from zoo security, and my knee hurts DAMNIT!" I took several deep breaths.  He looked a little taken aback.  I think my slightly hysterical tirade may have shut him up for a while.  Lucky me.

A zoo security guy ran around the side of the building.  He looked right at us and opened his mouth to call for the others, but slipped on some foreign material (I'm not kidding-the little tag on the side said 'made in taiwan') and went sliding headfirst into a dumpster.

"Whoah." I stared.  You just don't see that everyday. "Maybe we should leave."

"Yeah, talk about bad luck…"

He turned around to walk off.  Having nothing better to do, I started to follow, grumbling.  I didn't get very far before I had to start leaning on the side of the building.

"You weren't kidding."  He stated matter-of-factly at my elbow.  I jumped.  He was supposed to be ahead of me.

I glared at him.  "No, I just tell people that my knee hurts for no good reason. Makes me feel good, ya know?"

He proffered an elbow.  I ignored him.  I did not feel like getting help from the guy that deafened me half an hour ago.  

_Danny?  Danny, where are you? You._

I stood up really straight.  Arcane took a couple of steps back, surprised.

(Herman?)

"What is it?"  Arcane was reaching into his trench coat."

"My friends.  Shoot them and I will sic a tiger on you."  He gave me a look of disbelief.  Not that I blame him.  I mean, if someone told me that I was going to be eaten by a tiger if I tried anything funny, would I believe them?  

Danny!  Where?  Where are you?  Are you? 

(Behind this building.  It's near a dumpster where a security guard is.  Can you find it?)

"What the hell?!"

I turned around to glare at Arcane, then saw what he was staring at.  

Apparently Doggy and Herman could find me.  Or maybe it was because of the creature that was following them.

Hezibah.

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Kitty wandered down the steps of the institute.  The threat had gone back underground.  Scott and Kurt had gotten back safely.  It had to have been the shortest mission ever.

It was twelve o'clock at night, and everyone was sleeping.  Or so she hoped.  There was nothing more embarrassing than being caught out of bed in her pajamas, especially with all the new people in the house.

She walked into the kitchen and phased her hand through the fridge.  She pulled out the juice.

"Does that not make it be tasting strange?"

Kitty whirled around to see Piotr.  He stood there, well, like some sort of sentinel, even though he was the good kind of sentinel. 

"Uh no, like, it tastes, like it should."  Her voice sounded high and tinny.  She didn't expect for somebody to be up.  Especially not him.

"Why, like, are you up Piotr?" She gave him a little smil.  He reached into the cupboard beside him and handed her a glass.

"I am being restless."

"Like, why?"

"I am worried."

"For John?"  She asked quietly.  She too, missed all of her friends.

"Yes.  For everyone who is missing.  I am hoping they are safe."

"Yeah…"  She poured herself some juice.  She offered the carton to him, then put it back into the fridge after he waved it away.  She drank up the juice.  "I hope you get back to sleep," She said as she slipped passed him to go back to her room, leaving Colossus to contemplate the darkness alone.

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"You did WHAT?!"

Lance and the others were freaking.  Not so much from the fact that I had gotten attacked by robots, but the fact that I had a hyena following me.  Or rather, going the way I was going and threatening to do Arcane in.  

"We cannot keep every animal you come across!"  Lance continued.

"Or every person," Wanda interrupted, glaring at Arcane.

After Doggy and Herman found me, they had showed me a way out. They did not divulge to me how Hezibah got set loose. Hezibah and Arcane tagged along.  Turns out Arcane didn't have a ride or anything better to do and Hezibah has decided I'm more interesting than the zoo.  With the way I'm going, I should have an army by the end of the week.

"I didn't ask them to come.  They tagged along with me!  And since when is a couple of non-dangerous beings following me worse than getting chased out of the zoo by robots?!"

"Non-dangerous?!  IT'S A HYENA!"

"Lance, keep your voice down mate.  We're still in the parking lot."

"You're all mutants, aren't you?"  Arcane spoke up.  Most of the group stared at him.  Except for me.  I was trying to talk Hezibah out of biting Sam. I don't know why she wanted to bite him.  Probably just to bite someone. 

"And what if we are?"  Ray bristled. Arcane shook his head.

"Being a mutant myself, I have no problem with others."

"Oh."  Ray deflated instantly.  I managed to look up now, because Hezibah decided to look at Arcane instead.

"I don't suppose you have enough room for the likes of myself?" Arcane asked calmly. Wanda glared at him, then glared at me, who had arms around a hyena and a wolfhound.

"Why not?  We've already got a hyena, what more trouble could you be?'

"We ahre not takin' the hyena!" Rogue broke in swiftly.

"What are we going to do?  Look at her," Wanda gestured at me. " She's already attached!"

Lance stared at her.  "It. Is. A. HYENA."

"Oh good Lance, our conversations are rubbing off on you.  See, if you hang around with people smarter than you are, your bound to know something."  Wanda snarled back.

I knew it was a bad idea to take a hyena with us.  Not only that, but it was a angerous animal and therefore illegal to have without a permit, but Wanda was right.  I was attached.

I become attached to the most awful pet choices.  

"Better figure out if the wally's coming or going mates, because security ain't gonna like it if they see us out here with 'er."

They all looked at me.  I gave them all that happy smile that says ….I don't know what it says but it seems to have a deranging effect on everybody else.  They started getting the doors open.

Wanda glared a me. "I will hex both of those mutts if they try anything funny around me.  Got it?" Funny, she didn't seem to mind when she was leaning against Doggy for the beginning of the trip.

I grinned.  Hezibah took this as a good thing and leaped into the van.  She crawled over the seats into the back.  Doggy and I used the aisle.  Herman flew and landed on my ponytail.  Arcane got into the back middle with Wanda.  Rogue, John, and Ray(Kally was still asleep) got in the front middle.  Sam grabbed driver's and Lance took shotgun.  

I forgot to ask if anyone knew if Sam drove.  Probably didn't very much, as he almost ran us into a lamppost.  

But we managed to get out of the parking lot.  With a hitchhiker.  And a stolen hyena.  I feel sad for everyone who doesn't have this sort of excitement.

About a couple miles down the road, Wanda pulled out a notebook of paper and began writing on it.  I assume Uncle Robbie left it for us to use.  Or she stole it off some kid.  I probably shouldn't say anything, seeming as I have just stolen a hyena from a state zoo.

I hope we get out of Oregon before they catch us.  I hope they don't catch us at all…

"What are you doing?" Arcane asked interestedly.

"I'm writing a list of things Danny is forbidden to do."  

Uh oh.

"Read it out to us!" Ray grinned from the seat in front of her.  Kally was awake, looking at Wanda from his shoulder.

"One: No driving.

Two: No having us meet relations until she tells us all about them.  ALL about them.

Three: No talking to cops.  No running them off the road.  See rule one.

Four:  No going to the zoo.

Five: No picking up incredibly strange, dangerous animals.  See rule four."

"Only five?"  Ray smirked. Hezibah yawned, showing off her two and a half inch teeth.

"There will be more, you can count on it."  Wanda glared at me.  I sat down into the seat.

Hezibah will grow on them.  I know it.

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I know.  But I like Hezibah.  I couldn't leave her behind. 

Makes me wonder how things are going to go on from here.

Of course, Storm will probably have Danny take her back to Africa.

Any way, Kally will take reviews again.  She likes taking reviews.


	10. Cousin conversation, return of the sun s...

Disclaimer:  Look at the first chapter.  Pretend that disclaimer is here.

Akai Kah'ghe: So I guess part of your transmission got through, eh?

Dragonet:  I know!  He at least should be forbidden to run into poles!

Laureate:  Yeah…Hyenas are a little difficult to travel with…What kind of geckos?

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"Wyoming?  How'd THAT happen?"

"Well, see, Arcane knows how to read a map so he kinda directed us and we pulled the wheel from the grasp of death that is Sam…"

Well, we managed to get out of Oregon and through Idaho without breaking any laws.  Unless not sleeping in a hotel is against the law.  It should be.  But we stopped enough to change drivers and all that.  Arcane knew how to read a map.  We were finally moving away from the west coast.  Which in itself may be a blessing.

"Ah do not have a grasp of death!"

"You almost ran us into a phone pole, mate.  And you WERE watching the road."

"Yeah!  At least I wasn't watching."

"That's not something to be proud of Sheilah.  You almost ran us into a semi."

"Should I be afraid?"

"You should have asked before you started hitchhiking with us.  Hey Danny!"  Lance called back to me.  I looked up.  I was still seated in the far back.  Hezibah was leaning against me on one side and Doggy was leaning on my other side. I was feeling a bit squashed.

"Yeah?"

"What kind of work is your cousin in that gets him in so much trouble?"

"It's not his work, It's his business."

"Isn't that still work?"

"Sort of.  He's a cook.  Gourmet.  He also happens to be built like a bear, and he lives in a part of town that isn't very nice.  So sometimes people break into his restraunts. He gets in trouble for fighting and stuff."

"Cook and body builder? Sheesh."

"But he's great.  He's a good guy to have standing by you."

Rogue was driving.  If that does not scare anyone, I don't know what will.  Lance left off his interrogation.  Arcane was still seated in front of me.  He turned back to me.  He had his hat and coat off.  He actually didn't look that bad.

"How long you known him for?"

"My cousin?  My entire life.  He's twenty-three."

He nodded.  Hezibah leaned forward and put her jaw on his shoulder.  She got over the whole wanting to bite everyone and was just chilling.  She told me she liked Arcane.

Can't really see the attraction.

He just stared at her.  She gave him a big hyena smile.  He looked back at me.

"She ain't heavy, she's my sister?"  I grinned.  He raised an eyebrow at me.

"Do you have a thing for music or something?"

"Yeah.  I love music.  Everything from country to rap to classical and everything inbetween."

"Quite the list.  Anything you don't like?"

"I usually judge songs on a case by case basis.  I mean, there's always a couple songs in every category I don't care for."

"Do you read a lot?"

"Yep.  Mysteries, fantasy, Sci Fi…a little of this and that.  Not a lot of Romances."

"Diversity in everything."

"You got that right, brother."

He grinned at that.  Hezibah cocked her head to get a better look at him.  Lance, who was seated next to Arcane, leaned away from Heibah.  Wanda leaned over the seat in front so she could pat Hezibah's head.

So much for hexing the mutts, hunh?  And they said I was the softy.

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"AHHHHH AHHHHH AHHHHHHHHH!!!!!!!!"

Bobby quickly opened his magazine and buried his face into it.  He had been pulled off duty.  Every once in a while, search teams would be sent out to look for the guys that were missing, but right now everyone was back at the institute.  

Perfect prank time.

Amara ran by screaming something in her native tongue.  Something made him doubt it was princessly.  Jubes and Rahne were following, but had to take cover when Amara suddenly burst into flames.  Something dropped off her and scurried off.

"AHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!"

It was getting hot in here.  Bobby swiftly left his magazine (which had been labeled as seventeen magazine)  and tried to sneak out while Amara was preoccupied.

"YOU!"

So much for that.  Bobby bolted from the room.  

Who knew little sun spiders could cause so much trouble?

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"No!  The mall is evil! LET ME GO!"

That was me trying to resist Rogue and Wanda, sans the numerous obscenities.  They weren't all that pysched to go either, so they decided I had to come with them for amusement.  Or as they called it, a new change of clothes.  It was the morning after a night in a hotel, which was very welcomed for that wondrous thing that is a shower.  And we were still in Wyoming.

But unfortunately, my knee is still not anywhere close to being what it used to be, so that is why I am standing by the fountain by my kidnappers- err, friends.  But it was only because I made them promise to help me pick out dog collars.  And maybe a bat collar.  I don't think they make those.  Maybe a small kitten collar would work…

Wanda yanked on my arm, pulling me from my thoughts.  I grudgingly followed them to a gothic store.  I did not realize they had gothic stores.  Wanda pulled out a vest and put it too my shoulder.  I countered with the look that says 'no way in hell shall I wear that'.  She rolled her eyes at me.  Rogue's choice was infinitely better, a pair of black pants.  Black pants aren't usually my style, but they looked alright.  The buckles were confusing.  And the fact that it had two belts.  But they were picking the clothes and they refused to walk over to some 'honky' store with me, so I just had to keep a stiff upper lip and go.

Wanda finally found a t-shirt with a low v-neck and was about to show it when I began to shake my head violently at her.  No way was I gonna wear something like that.  Un uh.  She tossed it back on the rack, then grinned when she pulled out a another T-shirt.  It was black with studs going around the end of the sleeves and around the neck.  It had a big snarling dog on the back that looked like Doggy.  On the front it said 'If you're reading this and I don't know you, you haven't met my doggy yet'.  

I grinned.  It was perfect.  Rogue picked out a skirt and pantyhose with a long sleeved shirt.  Wanda grabbed the vest she showed me earlier and picked up some leather pants.  We were about to check out when Wanda grabbed my arm and propelled me to a stand with collars on them.  Big collars.  Small collars.  All kinds of collars.  We began to shuffle through them.  They were dog collars.  The human collars were in the next aisle.  Wanda wandered into that aisle and grabbed a couple of collars.  She gave me a black one with spikes and with a bat hanging off as a tag.  She had one with a cross.  Rogue declined.  We rustled through the dog collars and pulled out one with an African theme with Hyenas.  Just right for Hezibah.  There was also one with spikes on it, with the words 'All bite with no bark.'  Seeming as Doggy doesn't ever speak to me but has a habit of attacking people that hurt me for no reason, it seemed fitting.  There as also a tiny kitten collar that would fit Herman.  It had a bell on it.

We payed for all of it, then hurried off to the bathrooms to change.   It took me a little longer to change again, not just because of my knee but because of those belts and buckles.  When I walked out and stood in front of the mirror, I was a little surprised at how changed I looked.  

Then Rogue pulled out a couple of those hair sticks and put my hair up.   I was lucky that they didn't have any makeup on them.  I might have died.  

And so the guys all stared at us when we met them back at the bus.  They went shopping too, after I promised them that Doggy and Hezibah wouldn't cause trouble.  They all had the nice shirts and so on (except for Arcane- he already had another change of clothes that he wore after he took his shower.).  We must have looked pretty different, all Gothed up.

_Hezibah thinks it is a change for better._

I grinned at her and Doggy.  They wagged their tails.  Herman chattered his agreement from Arcane's hat.  He looked pretty ridiculous hanging off that fedora, but Arcane didn't seem to mind.  In fact, I thing he and John were checking Wanda and Rogue out, but I couldn't be sure.  They also snuck a couple glances at me, but I assume that was because I looked so different, and because I really don't want to blush right now.

Wanda chose to ignore them all and got into the bus.  Rouge and I followed.  I took my usual seat in the back.  Ray came in soon after me and slid into the seat in front, still looking at Rogue.  What a flirt!  Sam and John sat down beside him, earning a little warning growl from Hezibah.

_No one crowds Hezibah._

I patted her on the shoulder and reached into my bag to pull out her collar.  She sat still long enough for my explanation and for me to put the collar on.  While I was doing this, Arcane got into the Driver's seat.  Rogue and Wanda were in the front middle, where they could effectively look bored and still be desirable at the same time.  Lance almost didn't make it into the vehicle.  He may have been trying to justify his attraction to Kitty.  I don't know. He nabbed shotgun.

I turned my attention to putting on Doggy's collar and calling for Herman to get off of Arcane's hat so I could put a collar on him.  The bus took off down the highway with no one getting hurt, unless you count Ray, who had been leaning forward and hit the seat when Arcane had to brake suddenly. 

If it weren't for the fact Kally would scold me, I'd be laughing at him now.

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Wow.  Gothic Danny.  Who'da thought?

Kally is happy!  She will take reviews!


	11. There's no place like home, spidey strik...

Disclaimer:  Got to the first chapter's disclaimer.  Ditto.

Akai Kah'ghe:  Perhaps it has.  That means….I have no idea.

Laureate:  I think my little sun spider has become an unofficial character.  And he's still on the loose in mutie manor.  As for Romance, we'll just have to see, eh?

Flamingo1:  Well, the collar and telling everyone she's an African breed.  Hezibah cannot take reviews yet.  She keeps wanting to eat them.  You should have seen what she did to one of my other stories.   Had to rewrite the entire thing.

hnh:  That's…interesting to know.  I had no idea that was even a reason to get banned.  Very interesting.

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"Can't you shut that thing up?!"

"Oh, yeah, let's wake up the hyena.  We know she'll be so understanding."

Allow me to be frank.  Hezibah snores.  Loudly.  And it was making everyone else a little irritated.  As for me, I thought it was kind of funny.  I have a snoring hyena on the seat next to me.

But then again, I was in an impeccably good mood.  We were in Kansas.  There's no place like home, Danny. I managed to talk my friends into stopping by my house.  What great fun!

"I'm gonna snap if your wally don't stop snorin' sheilah."  John had his shoulder's hunched forward.  He was sitting right in front of Hezibah, getting the full effect.  I feel sorry for him.  Sorta.  

"Ah wonder how your family gonna react to us, Ah mean we're kinda droppin' in unannounced."  Sam had somehow discovered how to block out the horrendous noise that is Hezibah.

"Well, they'll be glad to see me.  I don't know about the rest of you."  I said happily.  I saw a couple of glares, but I blissfully ignored them.

"How did she talk us into this?"  Lance muttered to Arcane, who was still driving.

"Feminine charm?"

"How do you figure?"  Okay, that was a little mean.  If I weren't so happy about going home I'd sic Doggy on that rock tumbling goat-boy.  

Hezibah let out a tremendous snore that just about deafened me.  Wanda and Rogue started snickering.  Ray was keeping his mouth covered.  John was hitting his head on the seat in front of him, much to the Rogue's dismay.

Hezibah looked up groggily. 

_Hezibah wonders why man is hitting his head._

(Probably has a problem)

_Hezibah gathered that._

John stopped hitting his head when he realized Hezibah wasn't snoring any more.  He turned to glare at me for not saying anything, but ended up looking puzzled because I was still grinning at being able to visit home.  I hadn't gone home since I got to the institute.  This was my present to myself.  And everyone else's expense, yes, but I'm sure they'll get over it.  Then I realized something.

"Um…guys?  Let's not mention anything about the robots.  Or the cops.  Or anything else for that matter."

^*^*^*^*^*^^**^*^^**^^*^*^*^*^**^*

"Kurt!"

"Vhy is everyone yelling at ze fuzzy von?"

"That spider was here!  You put it here didn't you?!"

"Jean!  I did not!"

Scott poked his head out of his room.  Jean, Amara, and Jubes were all glaring at Kurt.  The fuzzy one was trying to defend himself.

"Me?  I vouldn't even touch zat thing!"

"WHAT'S GOING ON HERE?!"

"Wolverine, Kurt put the bug in our room!"

"No he didn't.  Sam did."

"…." The girls just stared at him as Kurt bamphed away.

"What?"

"You didn't stop him?!"

Logan just shook his head and walked off.  Scott was about to shut his door when Jean caught it.

"Why don't you come to the park with me?"  

"I don't know Jean.  There's a lot that needs to be done and-"

"And you need to relax.  Come on! It'll be fun."  She seized his arm and propelled him to the downstairs.

^*^**^*^*^*^*^*^^*^**^***^^^**^*^

"DANNY!!!!"

The first thing I saw was my mom before she bear hugged me.  That woman must have some mutant gene in her, cause she was just about choking me to death.  

"Mom…air…." I managed to gasp out. She quickly let me go.  Then she went on a tirade about my clothes.

"My goodness!  WHAT are you wearing?!?  It has spikes and buckles…Why didn't you call?  Who are your friends?  Oh, your father will be home soon, why aren't you at the institute?  Why are you limping?  WHAT HAVE YOU BEEN INTO?"

Behold the wrath of mom.

"Um…Would you believe me if I told you we did this cross country hike and got lost?"

"No."

"Oh."

"Anee!!!!"  I turned around to see the entire brigade hauling towards me.  Jared was in the lead.  He was getting big.  He latched onto my leg whilst the others latched everywhere else.  My favorite leeches.

"Danny, who are those guys?"

"Danny, we missed you!"

"Danny, where do babies come from?"  I just stared at that brunette.  She gave me an innocent look.

"What makes you think I would know?"

"Chrissy said you would."  I groaned.  Chrissy.  My least favorite oldest sister.  She had always looked down her nose at me.

Perhaps I should introduce my younger siblings.  We have Dianne and Dena, the twins, who were brunettes, Sue, a blonde, Angie, another brunette, Andrea, a blonde, and Cameron, who was a brunette.  We have many brunettes in my family.  Then there is Jared, a little blonde haired boy.  I'm one of about ten kids.  Talk about a big family.  My mom got married young.  Donnie and Chrissy were my older siblings.  

I don't think they like me all that much.

"Yeah well, Chrissy probably knows better than I do."

"I wouldn't be so sure about that."  Oh no.  The evil is here.

Chrissy is, for lack of a better word, perfect. She has blonde hair, sparkling green eyes, great looks, the works.

She has to be an alien.  I will uncover the truth.

"So, I heard you were a mutant. Are these," She kinda waved her hand at my friends, as if they weren't good enough to talk too. "Your little friends?"

"I'd hardly call us little," Wanda hissed at her.  My mom swiftly broke in.  

"So?  Are you going to tell me what happened?"  She gave me a hard gaze.  I managed to hold up, then I wilted. Might as well tell her and get it over with."

"Can we go inside and talk?"

"Of course.  We'll use the living room.  We don't have enough chairs, some of your friends have to sit on the floor."

"Okay."  I sighed a little in relief.  Thank goodness for country hospitality.  At least she'd let them in.

^*^^**^*^*^*^*^*^**^*^

It took about a half hour for everybody to get situated.  Dad got home.  He has been giving Arcane death glares the entire time, though I don't know why. Chrissy sat next to my mother.  Probably there to give moral support because I was such a delinquent.

"Where do I begin?"  I asked with a nervous little laugh.  All of my little siblings were playing with the 'dogs'.  I cringe at how my mother will react when I tell her Hezibah is a hyena.  She doesn't even trust Doggy.

"At the beginning, obviously!"  Chrissy said a little snootily.  In the corner of my eye I saw both Rogue and Wanda glaring daggers at her.

The last thing I need is my friends to take a round out of my eldest sister.  Mother would not approve.

"We-ell…."  I dragged out a little, looking to my friends for guidance.  They gave me pitying looks.  

"We were on this mission, and a couple things happened, and we caught an accidentally caught a ride on an airplane."

"What kind of things?"  My dad swiftly interrupted.

"Um, it turned out to be a trap, and a couple things happened."

"Danny."

"I got shot at and jumped off a six story building, ran from the shooters and accidentally ran into a robot that was trying to kill me, ran across an intersection full of busy cars, got blindsided, limped into an alleyway and was blown off my feet when Ray and John took out the robot."

"WHAT?"

"Danny, did you realize how much your life is like _Diehard_?"  I did not realize Arcane was a movie person.  If I get out of this conversation alive I will steal him away to look at the institute movie collection.

"YOU STAY OUT OF THIS!"  My dad was looking pretty angry.  "Since when is sending my daughter to school an excuse for turning her into a commando?!"

My mom looked at me worriedly.  "Is that why you've been limping?  Did that…'robot' hurt you?"

"Um, actually, I think that was the car's fault."

"What else happened?  What other things have you been doing to get you hurt?"  My dad demanded.

"Err…You want me to start when we got of the plane?"

"YES!"

"Well," I took a deep breath. " We got off the plane.  We uh…took a bus!   We took a bus up to LA. To talk to Uncle Robbie, and he lent us the bus."  I jerked my head in the general direction of the driveway.   "And along the way we picked up Arcane and Hezibah, a perfectly harmless stray dog that some awful man had left out to die."  It was incredibly difficult to keep my face straight, as I was lying through my teeth.  Yes, Hezibah is totally harmless.  Never mind the fact that she can crush a man's skull in less than two seconds.

I know the other's were staring at me.  But that was not the point.  My parent's needed to believe me.  Dad shook his head.  

"Your friends aren't staying here tonight.  They'll be in a motel in town."

"Okay."  I was a little giddy.  Not often does one cheat death like this.

^*^^**^*^*^^**^*^^**^*^*^*^*^*^^LATER*^*^*^*^**^*^**^*^

Hezibah and Doggy padded into my room.  It was just like I left it.  It wasn't bigger or smaller, it was home.  Herman tok the opportunity to go flying out  from underneath my shirt and hang off the side of my bed.

"Danny?" 

"Yeah mom?"

"Do you want to call the institute?"

"Sure."

I walked out to the kitchen to grab the phone.  I sat down in a chair and dialed the number for the institute.

_Brinng._

Our road trip was about to end.

Briinnng 

If I said I wasn't sorry, I'd be lying.

Briinnn- 

It shut off.  No ringer.  I tried again.  All I got was dead silence.  

I put the phone back on the cradle.  Looks like the road trip wasn't over just yet.

^**^*^**^*^*^^*^**^**^^*^*^^*^*^**^*^**

Alright!!!!  We have another chappy up.  Oh gosh, I need to get back to Two Cents, it's been three days since I updated it.

Kally is taking reviews again.  Herman would, but he almost got eaten by Hezibah earlier.  Need to teach that pup to watch what she eats.


	12. Don't mess with Hezibah, Iceman and Gamb...

Disclaimer:  X-men not mine.

Akai Kah'ghe:  A baby bunny, hunh? Hoppy ;)

Laureate:  Well, if your cat commands it, Then I HAVE NO CHOICE!

hnh:  I counter with incredibly stale dutch bread!  If you turn it a certain way, it can be a shield!  Lemon hunh?  Damn, I just sacrificed my last lemons to take care of gremlins in my other story.

Flamingo1:  As for Hezibah, she's a wild animal.  It's going to take a bit for her to get situated.  As for the muses, You are more than welcome to take on the sunspider.  I have not determined whether or not it's male or female or it's name, but toss in your suggestions and I shall integrate them into the story and place it in the studying abroad muse program.

^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^**^^**^^*^*^*

"So, you're a mutant, hunh?"

"That's what everybody says."

Gag me.  Cut my heart out with a spoon.  Pour hot wax into my ears.  ANYTHING to get me away from those two.  

Chrissy and Ray. I don't know if he knew she was flirting with him, but I was about to hurl.  

My parents were helping us pack the van with stuff.  A cooler of food, some blankets, all that good stuff. I managed to talk them into letting me go with my friends for the rest of the trip.  They said yes after Herman accidentally got caught in my mom's hair.  

Yeah, that wasn't fun.

"So what is your power?"

"I can shoot bolts of electricity."

"How shocking!"

Eww, Eww, EWWWWWWWW.  I cannot believe she just said that.  Now I really am going to hurl.

"Dan?  You okay?"  I looked way up at Arcane.  

"I'm just going to throw up.  It's alright." I jerked my head over at Chrissy.  She was doing this little stretching thing for Ray's benefit.  She saw me talking to Arcane and smirked.

"Oh, Danny, why are you still working?  Have your boyfriend do it."

I hunched my shoulders a bit and hissed, "He's not my boyfriend."

"Danny, Danny, Danny.  Do you not like men?  Are you attracted to _something_ else?"

"Chrissy!"

There goes mom, jumping in.  

"Mom, she hasn't had a boyfriend since sixth grade, and he wasn't something to look at.  So the only possible explanation is that she must have some other attraction…"

I will let loose a small secret.  I have a temper.  And though I may not be fast, I am strong.  

And she was doing nothing to improve my mood.

"You're right!"  Ray commented cheerfully.  I was about to leap for him when he added, "Why be attracted to human boys when she can be attracted to mutie guys?  Everybody knows mutie guys are a better breed.  Except for maybe Jared.  He's a cool kid."

"Are you insinuating that you are better than other guys?  You're a mutant!"

"That's what makes me better."  Ray gave her his best smile.  She just glared at him.  I was mentally crowing.  

"Hmph!  I guess my suspicions were correct.  You turned out rotten, Danny."  She turned and walked back into the house.  I think she was upset because she couldn't seduce Ray.  Or something.  I try to stay out of her head.  I may get lost in the void.  But from what I do know, Chrissy sticks her nose up at everything I do, but can't stand for me to have something she doesn't, hence her flirting with my friends.  It didn't quite work the way she wanted it too.  

For some strange reason, when she opened the door it hit her in the head by some weird twist of fate…I looked over at Wanda.  She swiftly looked anywhere but at me.

"Danny!"

I turned around to see my Lilliputians running towards me.

"Are you going again?"

"Why is Chrissy so mad?"

"Chrissy said you were a bad person!"

"I think Chrissy has Kavroki issues."

I snorted.  "What kind of issues?"

"I heard it on T.V"

"Chrissy is stupid!"

"I can neither confirm nor deny that statement."  I told the cute little blonde.

"Sam is cute."  A brunette informed me.  I took a quick side glance at Sam.  He was acting as if he hadn't heard anything, but his ears were red.

"I like Wance."

"And Ray!"

"And John!"

"And this guy!"  The twins latched themselves to Arcane.  He just sort of stood there, like he didn't know what to do.  I rolled my eyes.

"You guys just think they're cute cause they're the only guys that aren't family that you've seen."

"So?"

"The universal answer to everything.  You guys wanna help me get the dogs and my bat friend out of my room?"

"YAY!!!"  They all ran off towards my room.  I neglected to mention to Mom that Hezibah was not a dog.  But that's alright.  What she didn't know wouldn't hurt her, right?

"AAAAAAAAAAAIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIEEEEEEEEE!!!!!!!!"

Uh Oh.

I bolted inside the house with Arcane and my mom in quick pursuit. Hezibah was out of my room, as was Doggy and Herman.  But Doggy and Herman did not have Chrissy backed up against the wall.

_NO ONE STRIKES HEZIBAH!!!!!!!!!!!_

I swiftly ran over and stepped carefully between my sister and the seventy-five kilograms that is a spotted female hyena. Yeah, that was a bad place to be.  But mother would not approve of Hezibah taking out my sister.

(Calm.  Hezibah, calm yourself.)

_SHE STRUCK HEZIBAH!!!!!!!!!!_

(It's okay.  Please Hezibah, leave her be.  She is stupid, immoral, and goodness knows she shouldn't have hit you, but she is my sister and I will not move.)

HEZIBAH--- Hezibah sees.  Hezibah will back down.  But the next time she challenges Hezibah she will die.

(Point taken.)

Hezibah turned around and padded over to Doggy.  He led her outside.  I quickly let out the breath I didn't know I'd been holding and turned around to face my sister.

"HOW DARE YOU STRIKE HEZIBAH!  WHAT IS YOUR PROBLEM?!  ARE YOU STUPID OR SOMETHING?!"  I was furious.  How dare she?  I could take her making snide comments at me all morning, but striking my friends, how dare she?!!?

"Dan."  Arcane caught my shoulder.  "Let it go."

"I!—fine.  I'll let it go.  This is me, letting it go."  I turned on my heel and strode out of the house.

^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^^**^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^^*

"I can't believe this.  Why'd we get stuck trying to find that stupid spider while everybody else tries to put the lights back on?!"

"Perhaps, mon ami, because it was you who coerced de chere into setting off de fireworks.  Which makes Gambit wonder why he here."

Gambit and Bobby, monster hunters.  Never mind that said monster was a giant spider, but hey.  

"Well yeah, but I didn't know that a stray firework would fly off and take out the electricity.  And you're probably here for charging up the muffins, remember?"

"Non.  Gambit don' know what you talkin' about.  Remy bin on his best behavior."

"Yeah right.  Hey wait, there he is!"  Bobby shined his flashlight on the furry lump on the table.  

"Get it."  Gambit shoved him forward.  Bobby slipped and collided with the table, sending said furry lump flying.

And having it land on Gambit. 

On the other side of the mansion, where Hank was checking the comatose Professor's condition, he heard a long stream of what sounded like Creole obscenities.  

"Is seems our Cajun friend has found our little spider," he chuckled.

^**^^*^*^**^^*^*^^**^**^^*^*^*^*^*^*^^*^*^^^**^^*

"Oh honey, I love you.  Be good, alright?"  My mom had me in another bearhug.  The munchkin mobsters had already said goodbye to Kally, Herman, Hezibah, and Doggy.  They were in the car.  Well, except for Kally.  Kally was hanging off Ray's shirt upside down.

Strange rat.  Dad scooped me up in a big hug as well, and told me to call as soon as I got back to the institute.  I told him I would, and seized my little sister's and brother in a big hug and told them I'd come back to visit again.  

While I was doing this, Chrissy came back out.  She passed by Ray, giving him a dirty look.  And got a rat on her shoulder.  Believe me, that just topped off everything the way she ran back into the house screaming.  She must have something against rats.  Kally swiftly clawed her way up Ray to sit on his shoulder and began to groom herself in a very contented way.

She shouldn't look at my Ray that way.  He's too good for her.

(I agree with you.)

We said our goodbyes and I jumped back into the backseat of the bus.  I put my foot up on the big cooler Dad had given us.  He gave us three coolers.  All chock full of snack food.  And drinks.  Hezibah stuck her nose to the window when my little munchkins ran to the side to wave.

Hezibah likes pups.

Doggy crawled over me to join her.  Herman sat on my shoulder.  I had changed back into my gothic clothes before we left.  Dad had given me a bag and I packed up some of my old clothes.  Just in case.  

After earning another glare of Death from Dad, Arcane got into the driver's seat.  Ray and Kally jumped into the seat in front of us, with Wanda.  John stole shotgun while Sam, Rogue, and Lance grabbed front middle.

We pulled out of the drive, and I waved until I couldn't see them anymore.  

Again.

^**^^**^*^^**^*^*^*^^*^**^^*^*^*^*

And they are on the road again!

Kally is taking reviews again!  This time she has Hezibah with her, so remember to be nice.  You know what happened to Chrissy.


	13. Robo attack, chapels, and what are we go...

Disclaimer: Ditto last chapter.

Flamingo1:  Well…You know Kitty's muffins, nobody wants to eat them…so on and so forth.

Dragonet: Yeah, it really isn't all that smart, striking a hyena.

Laureate:   I suppose she could have, but I think Danny's mommy would have been more than a little upset.

hnh:  Umm…Dutchness?  Thanks.  You should love this chapter.

Akai Kah'ghe: That seems to be the general consensus.  Thanks.

^*^^*^*^*^**^^**^*^*^^*^*

"SCATTER!"

I don't know who shouted.  I just know that I concurred.  

It was bigger than the other ones.  At least twelve feet tall.  And with blades and beam weapons and all those space-man things.

We didn't see this robot until it was right on top of us.  We stopped in Little Rock, Arkansas just for a bite to eat.  Just one meal without getting into trouble.  Is that too much to ask?

Hezibah and Doggy were leading the way.  We snuck past the robot into an alleyway.  

John turned on the robot to give Rogue some time to get away.  He is a brave guy.  Or insane.  I haven't decided yet.  He pulled out a lighter and started throwing fireball at the robot. 

Needless to say, it got angry, if that is indeed possible.  It tossed him twenty feet.  A couple people ran past me screaming.  Yeah, that will probably be me in a couple minutes. 

How do these things know where we are?  Are we biological homing beacons?  

Arcane and Wanda pulled off to the side and began hitting robot jones with everything they had.  Ray ran over to John to help him out of the line of fire, if one will excuse the pun. Lance and Sam were getting ready to cannonball and rock the robot's world.  Again with the horrible puns.

Everything that they did however, seemed not to faze it.  Sam hit it and he deflected and ran into a monument.  Oops.  Lance tried to throw it off it's feet but it flew.  Wanda hexed it but it deflected and hit Rogue a glancing blow.  No bullets could penetrate the plate metal. Again, everybody scattered.

Except Rogue.  She was stumbling.  Arcane saw her and immediately tried to divert the robot's attention.  

Appears it worked a little too well.  

Arcane had to make a break for it when the robot charged him.  Sam and Wanda grabbed Rogue and made themselves scarce.

_Man cannot run forever._

(I know.)  Hezibah looked at me, waiting for an action, a decision, or some witty one-liner.  Maybe not the last one.

_Danny. We go with you.  You._

I'd almost forgotten Herman was in my shirt.  I sighed and closed my eyes.  I am useless in a fight against a giant robot.  Then again, I don't leave my friends to rot so…What am I saying?  Ya only live once.  It's better to live with no regrets.

(Find him)

Hezibah and Doggy peeled out in pursuit, with me close behind.

^**^^*^*^**^*^^**^*^*^^*^*^*^**^^*^*

"Pull back!  Don't let it grab you!"

"Gee Ineverwouldhaverealizedthat One eye." Peitro blew past him.  The others were pulling back with a little less speed.

The robot had popped out out of nowhere.  Amara had bravely stepped in, setting off enough flames for everyone to figure out something big was going on. They all fought valiantly against it. Those that needed to rest stayed behind Piotr, whose metal form evenly matched that off the robot's.

Magneto used his powers to make sure it couldn't get close to the wounded, while Hank carried them into the institute, away from danger.

"Kurt!"

"Ya?"

" Take Gambit and see if you can't blow a hole in that thing!"

Kurt grabbed onto Gambit's trenchcoat and teleported them over.  Remy put both of his hands on the Robot's back. At first it didn't charge and the robot tried to grab them, but Magneto intervened, catching it's arms. 

"More, More energy!"  He yelled, trying to keep the robot stationary.  Gambit put everything he had into the robot, causing it to glow violently.  Kurt barely teleported them away before it blew.  

Gambit collapsed, the strain of the power surge too much.  He was picked up by Piotr and ushered into the medlab with the others who had cuts and injuries.

Jean watched as they left.  And she couldn't help but feel uneasy for the fate of the others who were missing.

^*^*^**^^**^*^*^^*^*^*^*^**^*^^*^*

"Oh my—I'M GONNA DIE!"  

That was me.  Jumping off a roof onto the back of a twelve foot robot.  I said I was smart, but I never said I didn't have a good bit of stupidity.

The robot had managed to back Arcane into a corner, which happened to be next to this cute over hang.  What I did afterwards was simply elementary.

The robot started waving it's arms, trying to grab me.  I ducked down and held on for dear life. It was the whole thing of, if I fell off I was going to die, and right now I have an incredible desire to live.

Hezibah and Doggy tore around from wherever they were hiding from, and latched themselves onto one of the arms. Herman latched himself over it's eye sensor…thingies. Not that it would do much anyway, but anything to get its mind off me.

Arcane managed to get out of the corner and was loading his gun.  Like that would do anything. The robot was the terminator on a bad day!

"Danny!"  He was calling to me.  I glared at him.

"I'm just a little BUSY right now!"

"Move!"

"Are you INSANE?!" Just then the robot bucked, trying to throw off Hezibah and my cheekbone slapped down on it's back.  A nasty cut opened up and started bleeding. 

"Move!  I'll have a shot then!"  There he was, going on about me moving again!  I was ten feet off the ground on the back of a killer robot. WHERE THE HELL WAS I GONNA MOVE TO?!

"DAN! WATCH OUT!"

The robot arm smacked me in the ribs and I fell off the robot.  I hit the ground shoulders first, with the wind knocked out of me.  

**_BOOOOMM!!!!!!!_**

It sounded like a rocket.  It hit the robot and it began setting off sparks.  The robot started shaking and pitched forward.  Two arms grabbed me and hauled me out of the way of the keeling robot.

"Well."  I looked up at Arcane.  He was winded and looked like he just ran a marathon with Hezibah chasing him.  "That was fun."

I stared at him with a glare that says 'I just got beaten up and you think it was FUN?'  He gave me a grin that countered with 'Yup'.

I shoved him away with mock exasperation.  Then I heard something.  Sirens.

"The fuzz!  Let's run!"

"The what?"

I grabbed his arm.  "Don't ask questions, just go!"

We both ran out of the alley, trailing a wolfhound with a bat on it's collar and a hyena.  We were about to dart into the street when I saw cop cars basically converging on either side of the street.  I dragged him over to the nearest door, which happened to be a sort of mini church.  The kind where you can get married and get on with it.

"Are we going in there?"  Arcane asked staring at the door.

"I—no.  Of course not.  I just wanted you to see this door.  It's such a pretty door.  Personally I'd prefer baby blue but the pink it's in right now looks fantastic, don't you agree? OF COURSE WE'RE GOING IN THERE YOU STUPID….JACKASS!"  I shoved him through the door and closed it after Doggy and Hezibah got in.

"…..I don't think anyone has called me that in a long time."  He said finally.

"Maybe not to your face," I grumbled.

"Oh, you two are just like my husband and I when we were married."  I whirled around to see an old lady with lavender robes.  The priest.  I sighed with relief.

"So, are you two ready?  I have no other people waiting."  She said with a smile.  Arcane gave her a guarded look.

"We're not here to get married."

"Oh, well in that case, my husband and I divorced the same way you two are."

"We aren't here to get divorced.  Do you give everybody that story?"  I asked.

"People will get married sooner if there are coincidences."  She offered.

"Ah."

"Cops are gone." Arcane said dryly.

"Yeah, hey thanks for letting us hide out here."  I said to her.  She quickly stopped me.  

"You're in trouble?  Now, I know you're not a bad kid.  Wanna be able to show the police an excuse?"

"That'd be great, what did you have in mind?"  

"What is your name?"

"Danielle Nesmond."

"And your name young man?"

"….My real name?"

"Preferrably."

"……"  I elbowed him hard in the ribs.  He muttered something.

"What was that?"

"James Jerald Torkelli."  He glared at me when I started snickering.

"What is that?  Itallian?"  The priest asked.

"Greek.  Stop laughing!  I didn't ask to be named that!"

"Sorry."  I said, though I really wasn't.

"Alrighty!"  She did something with a paper and handed it to us.  I read it.

"The state hereby recognizes the marriage of--hey!"

"It isn't a real certificate.  It doesn't have my signature or anything."  The lady reassured me.  I nodded and grabbed Arcane's arm.  

"Thanks!  I'll tell anybody who wants to get married where your church is!"

"Keep out of trouble, dears!"

Arcane glared at me when we walked down the street.

"You breath a word about my name and you will be regretting it for the rest of your very short life."

"Whatever.  Let's find the others."

^*^*^*^**^^**^*^*^*^*^^**^^***^^**^*^

"Your honor, we would never have done such a thing if the robot had not attacked us!"

I was pleading our case to the judge.  No reason to say we weren't mutants, lots of people saw us fighting.  Arcane and I (Jerry?  I shall laugh about that forever.) had discovered that the others had gotten arrested.  We were trying to talk them out of sending us straight to the slammer.  

"And where is this robot? Probably just some fantasy!"  The prosecutor returned.

"Oh, yeah, it was a fantasy that bruised my ribs and gave me this cut."  I pointed at my cheek.  We had a swift glaring contest.

The doors opened up and a guy in a three-piece ran up to the judge  The judge listened to him and waved him away.

"It has come to my attention that a large robot has been found a couple blocks from a chapel."

I grinned at the prosecutor.  "I rest my case."

^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^**^^*^*^*^**^^**^

" It has been determined that you were defending yourselves.   Therefore, I will not press charges.  However, because you are a severe danger to the citizen's of Arkansas, I have decided that action must be taken."

We all stood in front of the judge. All of us.  Even Hezibah.

"Therefore, I have no choice but to ban you from the state of Arkansas, effective in seventy-two hours."

Wow.  I just got banned from a state.

"You must get someone to bail your bus out, whom is not banned from Arkansas.  Have a nice day."

With that we were dismissed.

When we all got out to the front of the building (after another trip to the bathroom-my cheek would not stop bleeding.)  John looked around at all of us.

"Now what?"

"We need somebody to bail our bus out."

"Dan?"

"Why is everybody looking at me?"

"You always have some relation you can call."  Ray pointed out.

"We-ell…I could always call Spike."

"Sounds like a plan."

^*^*^**^^*^*^***^*^^**^^***^*^*^*^^**^^*^**^ 

MWAHAAHAHHAHAHAH!

Oh gosh, the professor is gonna have a fit when he wakes up.  

Sunny the sunspider, who is now determined to be female, will take reviews.  Hezibah and Doggy are her bodyguards, so no funny stuff.


	14. Spike, Spidey, and the misdemeanor mutan...

Disclaimer: Ditto first chapter.

Azzandra Megaire:  I'm glad you liked it!  Gee…I hope he doesn't have a heart attack.  I don't want an angry mob to take out my muses and I just because I killed off the Professor.  I know what you mean though.  On my Mom's side, I have a ton of relations.

Renee LeBeau:  Hmm…Really, I don't know about the whole truth or dare thing.  But I suppose I could tweak the story for Rogue to get on kiss with our favorite Cajun.  You'll just have to read to find out.

Akai Kah'ghe:  Don't be scared!  Just give them to Doggy instead.

Laureate:  No, actually, her kin tend to center in about four states.  Kansas, Arkansas, Texas, and Oklahoma.  Spike lives in Missouri, while Uncle Robbie lives in California.  Other than that, she doesn't have any relations.

hnh: If I spit it out, then I won't be able to tease my reviewers with the tidbits of info.  I suppose I will in the future (whether it be near or far) but as of now, he's a bits and pieces character.

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I moodily sat on the steps of the courthouse.  Hezibah and Doggy were with me.  It was raining.  Herman didn't like the humidity, so I gave him to Wanda for safekeeping.  Kally needed somebody to talk to anyway.

All of the others had gotten a hotel. I stayed here because Spike would be coming soon.  He actually lives out of state in Missouri, but he jumped at the chance to come see me.  He made some comment about being surprised I didn't call him sooner. We only had sixty hours left before we had to get out of Arkansas or be escorted by the state line by troopers.   I doubt that would look good on any resume' I plan on building.

There wasn't any real overhang to protect people from the rain, and it appears that once you've been banned from a state you can't go into the courthouse unless it's in handcuffs, so that's why I'm sitting on the steps, soaking wet, generally being a sponge.  Hezibah I know didn't like the rain but refused to stay behind after what happened earlier with the giant robot.

It was a learning experience.  You get certificates when you get banned out of states.  And little stamps on your licenses and stuff.  Yeah. I can just see me explaining that to. Mom.  'Hey Danny, do you want to go visit your family in Arkansas?'  'I would Mom, but you see, I got banned from Arkansas.'  That will go over SO well.

"I guess I sorta did turn out rotten."  I said aloud to myself.

"Hey, you turned out rotten, but you didn't turn out like Chrissy!"  

I jerked my head up.  Spike was at the foot of the steps with a big umbrella.

 Spike is, for lack of a better word, tall.  Now that I think of it, he's not really built like a bear.  He's too lean for that.  In fact, if it weren't for the way he carried himself and the fact that you could punch him in the gut and he wouldn't feel it, He might be considered a pushover.  Muscle, but not enough to really be called a bodybuilder. His hair is the same color as my own, except much shorter.  His eyes are green instead of blue, like mine.  He was wearing a Plaid over shirt that had a white t-shirt underneath, with khakis.  He was always the better dressed of us cousins.

"How's the cooking business, Spike?"

"I'm getting out of it, actually.  I figure you and Uncle Robbie and a few other people I shall not name need a place to hide out since you guys are in so much trouble, I'm going into the hotel business."

"I thought you liked to cook."

"Always room service."

"True."

He walked up the steps easily and stood next to me letting the umbrella lean over me.  Hezibah and Doggy immediately crowded him to get out of the rain.  He looked at Hezibah.

"Did you know Hyenas are more related to mongooses than dogs?"

"Oops."

"Yeah.  I'm surprised nobody figured it out before now.  Let me guess…You picked it up in Oregon."

"Oops."

"Somehow I knew that was the answer.  Let's go.  What happened to your cheek?"

"Funny story…."

I got up and he proffered an elbow to me like a gentleman. I linked my arm through his and we set off to find the hotel the others were staying at.

"I talked to Uncle Robbie.  He said you managed to get yourself in a lot of trouble."

"Probably as not as much trouble as if I told my parents what actually happened for me to be on a road trip."

"Yeah, your Dad is kind of a spaz…"

"Spike!"

"I calls them like I sees them, Sweetheart."

"Okay, he does overreact.  A little."

"A little?  Remember what happened the last time our families got together?"

"Your dad set one of our trees on fire!"

"In his defense he did not know that the grill was not supposed to be that close.  They have no instruction manuals for that, you know."

"Yeah...Well, actually, now they do."

"Yeah, I know.  Makes me proud that my dad could do something that could get him such recognition."

"Like the marbles in the nose incident?"  I asked innocently.

"That was a dare and you know it.  In fact weren't you—"

"—Oh look at that!  That's the hotel," I exclaimed quickly, cutting him off.  

"My hotels will be better.  And they'll cater to family crooks."  He said smugly.  I rolled my eyes and led him to the elevator.  The doors shut lowly and I felt a slight tug from gravity as we pulled away.

"Who created elevator music?"  My cousin mused.

"Someone sadistic?"

"Probably."  There was a slight ding and the doors opened.  Spike grinned down at me.  

"Fifth floor: Children's toys, wild animals, and misdemeanor mutants."

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There was crash of breaking glass and scream.  Hank calmly turned another page in his book.  For the last four hours Jean, Pietro, Piotr, Scott, Bobby, and Rahne had been trying to catch the elusive sunspider.  And failing spectacularly.  Rahne would not go up to it because it fell down her shirt, Pietro just didn't want to touch it period, and the little thing just did not seem to want to die.  Leave it to a spider to beat six trained mutants.

Scott and Pietro suddenly ran into his study and shut the door.

"It's evil.  Not even Apocolypse can stop that thing!"  Scott gasped. His back against the door.

"Something wrong, you two?"

"OhnothingWejusthavethisspiderchasingus.Iknow!Let'sblowupthemansionthatwillkillit."

"I think not, Pietro.  It's just a spider, not a global disaster."  There was another sound of breaking glass and a sudden stream of Russian obscenities from just outside the door.  Scott and Pietro both pointed at the door in a sort of 'see?'  gesture.

"Oh…I wish the others were back."  Hank sighed.  "Then maybe Danny could just call the spider to her or get something that would catch it for her."

There was another crash and what sounded like a Scottish voice was screaming some none-too-polite words with the Russian.

"I'm staying here."  Scott decided.  Then a furry black lump skittered under the door and went up his jeans.

"AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH!"

"AAAAAAAAIIIIIIIIIIIEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEE!!!!!"  Pietro tried to open the door to get away from Scott but it wouldn't open.

"Pull Pietro.  It swings in."  Hank said with an amused under tone.  Pietro finally managed to get the door open and took off, with Scott a close second.

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"So you're the people who have been dragging my cuz around, hunh?"

"More like she's been dragging us around."

"I object to that.  You know I had you guys' best interests at heart…."

"Whatevah."

I was actually a little surprised.  They all took to Spike very well.  Well, I shouldn't be surprised.  They aren't my family—I mean, my original family, after all.  My original family would have stuck up their nose at him, no matter how well he was dressed.  Just one of those things, I guess.

Introductions went all around and everybody got acquainted. Everybody seemed beter at ease now.  See what spending a couple hours in jail will do to people?  Not that I speak from personal experience, of course.

"So you need me to bail out your van right?  Hey Dan, what are you going to say to your Mom when she tells you you're going to visit our relations in Arkansas?"

"Uhh….I have to visit you first?  Then I'll stay out permanently."

"Harsh."

"You have family here?"  Ray asked.  "Why didn't you say anything?"

"Because they're all a bunch of—"

"Language Spike."

"Sorry."

"What he meant to say was…The relations I have here aren't ones I trust with the well-being of myself or my friends.  And another thing is I really don't like them."

"That could throw a wrench in the works."  Lance commented dryly.  

"So," I continued, "I guess I could tell them…any ideas, Spike?"

"The truth?  Oh wait, you're rotten now, so that won't work.  How about you just say there a guy in Arkansas that stalks you?  Then they won't let you anywhere near it and it's almost true."

Wanda stared at me.  "You have a stalker?"

"Yeah a little like Todd and you but more discreet."

"Actually I kind of miss that slime ball.  But just a little.  It's not like I like him or anything."  

"Sure.  Anything you say."  Ray snickered, then ducked down fast when Wanda threw a hex bolt at him.  It hit Sam, who had been unlucky enough to stand by Ray.  He hit the carpet.  We all stared, then continued talking.  Sam would be up in a while anyway.

"So what is exactly with your stahlkah?"  Rogue asked.

"Actually, it's one of my cousins.  He's older than me and Spike had to punch him out once because he wouldn't leave me alone."

"Gross!"

"Actually, we're related only by marriage, so it isn't that bad."

"Yeah it is."

"Okay, yes it is.  But Spike broke his nose for me."

"Is Spike your real nahme?"

"No, actually it's Richard or something like that, but I like to be called Spike."

"That's a bettah nahme."

"Thanks."

Our conversations lasted well after the rain stopped.  We talked about all of our misadventures, the problems, what excuses we were gonna hand out when we got home, that sort of thing.  Spike always added something that we didn't think of.  He's like that.  It was generally decided that whoever fell asleep would drive the bus, so they did everything they could to keep me awake.

Just make one little incident.

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Spike is fun to write for.

Sunny is once again taking reviews!  She's also popping up in other places, as is expected of her for her training, so keep an eye out for her!


	15. Almost home, a date, and we got arrested

Disclaimer:  X-men not mine.

Laureate: Sunny tells me you've been giving arthropod friendly hugs.  I'm trying the best I can to keep on top of things.

Akai Kah'ghe:  Next time just call to Doggy, he'll walk up to you.

Flamingo1:  Actually, no.  When I first started writing for her, I wanted that to happen.  But then I created Arcane(who is actually her crush even though she won't say anything) and decided Ray would be more like the best friend type.  Even more so now that they've broken about fifteen diverse state laws together.

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"OHIO! OHIO! OHIO!"

That chant was getting really annoying.  But I couldn't blame them.

We have been errant for about two weeks.  And we were two states from home!  

Spike left us after he bailed the bus out.  He said that now that he knew where I was he'd drop by and say hi to me.  Then he went back to Missouri so that we could do the last part of the trip by ourselves.

My knee, which had gone through the heck, was finally healing.  The big purple bruise that made me limp was…well it still made me limp, but the purple was turning into a rainbow now.  Green, purple, blue, black, orange, and red.  Like I said.  Rainbow.  My 

back was doing about as well, and I now had a patch over my cheek where I got cut.  My ribs still hurt when I move around sometimes.

Arcane was not driving.  He was sitting next to me.  Doggy and Hezibah decided they wanted to socialize and sat with Wanda and Sam.  Ray was driving.  Again.  At least we're not driving a van full of drugs.

But it wasn't as if I liked Arcane, or Jerry-boy, he was just a friend.  I decided that calling him Jerry was better, we already have Jamie at the institute.  

"When ah get home ah'm gonna kiss Scott!"

"What about Remy?"  Wanda teased as she scratched Hezibah's neck.  See?  I said Hezibah would grow on them.  Rogue turned beet red.

"Ah could cahyah less about tha' Swampraht!"

"Them why do you have dreams about him?"

"Why do you have dreams abouht Toahd?"  She shot back.  Now it was Wanda's turn to turn red.

"I do not!"

"Do Too!"

"Since when?"

"Ah heard you cahll his nahme out while you were sleepin'."

"You did not!  Liar!"

"Sheilahs!  Calm yourselves down!  This ain't bloody Jerry Springer!"

Wanda and Rogue glared at each other over the seats.  It was probably good that there was a seat between them.

"Finally.  Now maybe we can—RAY!!!!!"

Ray, who had been distracted by the arguing and looking for a stray hex bolt, looked back to the road in time to see the sign in front of them.  Both of my hands went up to my neck to catch Herman and Kally as we hit the sign and went careening into a ditch.

^*^*^*^^**^^**^^*^**^^*^*^*^**^*^*^*^*^*^

"So you gonna go out wid' de petite?"

"Da."

"Good match.  Remy actually glad for you."

"You miss the Rogue."

"Remy din'n say dat."

"It is on your face, comrade."

"Mebbe a little."

There was a loud crash outside and a high pitched scream.

"De spidey still alive?  You tink de boss want us to recruit 'im?"

"Perhaps."

There was several more crashes and loud screaming.  Kitty phased through the wall with a disgusted look on her face.

"Like, Pietro is such a sissy!  Oh, Gambit, are you like, feeling better?  You were out for almost a day!"

"Remy fell better, petite.  But de tin man need company.  Have fun."

Remy swiftly exited before they could say anything.  But while he exited, something ran in.  Something small and furry.  Kitty saw it and leaped into Piotr's arms with a shriek.

^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^**^*^^*^*^*^*^*^*^*

"Great job Ray!"  

"Hey, did you know this bus is out of gas?"  Lance said as he tried to start up the bus.  It was hopeless.  We were all standing around the thing that had once been our ride.

Everyone got out okay.  We were just a little shaken.

"I guess we'll be hitch hiking."  John ran to the bus grabbed a couple of things, and ran back to the road.

"What is he doing?"  Arcane groaned.  John wrote something on a piece of cardboard and began waving it.

I walked around to the road so I could see what it said.

"We are not escaping inmates."  I looked at him.  "Great way to stop a car, Johnny boy."

"Well, I figured it was better than nothing."

"I've got something better."  Lance grabbed his sign and wrote something on the back.  Then he grabbed Ray and gave it to him and shoved him towards the road.

Ray looked at it.  "I wrecked the car?!  Gee Lance, how is that going to help?"

"They might feel sorry for us."

"Good to know you're thinking on your feet, mate."

"As long as we're doing this, I've got something even better."  Arcane grabbed another piece of cardboard from John (he had several pieces from who knows where) and wrote something on it.  He then walked to the road and held it up.  Wanda and Rogue went around to see it.

"Suppose you were ahn Idiot." Rogue read.

"And suppose you didn't stop for us," Wanda continued.

"But I repeat myself."  They said together.   Then they started laughing.  He winked at me.

"An adaptation of Mark Twain."

"So I noticed."  I grinned a little.  Wanda raised her eyebrows at me, but was swiftly nipped in the butt by a certain wolfhound. Serves her right for thinking things like that.

There was a loud screeching noise.  We all looked over to see a hearse stop by the side of the road.  A guy stuck his head out.

"You kids need a ride?  I got a coffin in there, it's a little cramped in the back."

We didn't say anything.  Then Ray cleared his throat.

"No thank you sir, we're not going THAT far."

The driver looked puzzled, then just pulled back onto the highway. 

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It was night.  And it was dark.  John managed to find the flashlight and was trying to catch passing car's attention.  He had to stop after the fourth time somebody almost had an accident.  Ray and I were huddled against each other, trying to keep warm.  Rogue and Wanda had crawled into the bus, Hezibah and Doggy were somewhere in the forest with Sam, Lance and Arcane had taken over flagging down duty, Herman and Kally were in my shirt, hanging off my collar, and John sat on the other side of me.

"So what are you two gonna do when you get back to the institute?"  He asked sleepily.  He put his head on my shoulder.  He must have really been tired.

"I'm going to call everyone so they know I made it back okay."  I said, leaning my head back against the tire.

"I'm going to go to bed.  My own bed so I don't have to worry about being waked up by somebody snoring or something."  Ray yawned a little.  I began to wish that Wanda and Rogue hadn't locked the doors.  Maybe we shouldn't have teased them so bad about the whole dreams thing.

"Hey sheilah."

"Yeah?"

"Exactly how old are you?"

"Why do you wanna know?"

"Just wondering, luv.  All I know about you is that you drive crazy, you talk to animals, and are an all around good kid."

"I'll be sixteen in—" I jerked out my hand to look at the watch Spike lent to me.  I gave him my pocket knife for safekeeping.  The nice one with the coyotes.  I looked at the date. "—two hours.  Wow, I didn't know it was that soon.  Or that it was this late."

"Is that watch right?"  Ray asked.  His head was resting on my other shoulder.  I could tell he was getting ready to fall asleep.  Which under any other circumstances would be strange, but when we ditched Arkansas, we didn't stop until we hit the sign.  Well, to sleep anyway.  

It was a five state run.  Long trip.

"Yeah."

"Oh.  I didn't get you nothing."

"Anything."

"Whatever."

"I'll have to get you something later too, sheilah."

"No need.  You guys already got me several criminal convictions."

We laughed a little at that.  My eyelids began to grow heavy and I was about to nod off when I heard a loud siren.  We all bolted upright, which resulted in a couple cracked jaws and a headache (on my part, I rammed my head back into the tire.).  

A couple of cops walked amongst us after they got out of their squad car.

"Did you kids know that you're violating several laws?"

"Obviously not, sir."  Lance should have just kept his mouth shut.  On of the cops went back to call for back up.  The other one knocked on the bus doors and made Wanda and Rogue get out.

"What laws ahr we breakin'?"  Sam asked.  He'd returned from walking around with my puppies.

"You've run out of gas, destroyed federal property, and your dogs aren't wearing taillights."

The other squad cars arrived.  We decided not to put up any sort of fight, because that would probably be a stupid idea.  I made sure Doggy and Hezibah didn't fight, then changed my mind and told them to run.  I doubted someone wouldn't notice Hezibah was not a dog, and I didn't want her wandering around alone.

There were assorted cuss words as they made a break for it, and Rogue and I were shoved into a car.  Ray and Sam got another car, Wanda and Arcane got paired up, and John and Lance were put together.

I got arrested for my birthday.

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Hmmm….Looks like we still got a couple more chapters.

Alrighty, Sunny is still taking reviews.  Danny would take reviews but she, Herman, and Kally are on their way to the crib, so it's kind of impossible.  


	16. Jailhouse blues, He wakes up soon, and t...

Disclaimer: X-men not mine.

Alright, I have to say this….I'm sorry!  I was so busy for the last five days or so, I did not get anything written. I had a football game I had to go to and family to be with (it's been so long since I've seen them, I'm so happy!)  and today is when things finally slowed down.  SO NEVER FEAR!  I am alive.  And now I am writing yet again.  

Renee leBeau:  Awww!  Your welcome!  *is huggled*

Asteria:  I love those books!

hnh:  Yay!  Danny got a birthday song!  That's quite something to happen on a birthday.  I got snowed in close to my birthday once.  Or was it my sisters?  I can never remember these things.  Our birthdays are even three months apart.

Chrissy:  Yeah, I know.  I wish my sixteenth was as fun as hers.  There still in Ohio for this chappy.

Flamingo1: What …do you mean?  I don't think a Ray/Kally pairing would work out, she isn't exactly human.  She has an obsession with him, yes, but I don't think she bites every girl he talks too.  Just the ones that give him dirty looks, mean comments and such the like.  A Jonda?  I wasn't planning on it.  I think it might lean more towards a Johmara, Tanda thing.  But I believe Jonda is in the rankings for two cents.

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"So, baby, what's your name?"

"Deathbed.  And that's where you'll be if Ah hear another peep out of you."

"Come on baby—UGHH!!!!!"

That was number three.  Rogue was on a roll.

Apparently, though we could not be with our male counterparts, are cell was not segregated.  There were a bunch of dirty old guys in there.  That is, until Wanda started hexing people and Rogue started kicking butt.  She said she wouldn't use her powers because she didn't want to see their thoughts.  I can sympathize.  Now the guys were all huddled against the wall.

"HEY I DIDN'T DO NOTHIN'!"

I glanced over to the cell door.  A couple of armed guards were trying to drag this girl into the cell with us.   She was also saying some none-too-nice things, something Mom would be appalled to hear.

"YOU %$#&# **^%*^$!!!!!!!!!!!!!!"*

Yeah, Mom would be fainting about now. They managed to shove the girl into the cell and she lost her balance and toppled into me.  I guess she thought I was one of the guys, cause she grabbed my shirt and hauled back and punched me in the eye.  I found myself yowling in pain.  Not to mention the fact that she was sitting on my bad knee.  Through my rapidly swelling eye I saw Wanda pull a full tackle on her.  That girl could be on a football team.  If she couldn't tackle them she could hex them.

I scraped myself off the floor amongst the jeers and hoots of the guys in with us.  Rogue ran past me to join Wanda, shoving me into the wall.  The opposite wall from the guys, thankfully.

"Let her goh!  She ain't gonna hurt anybody!  Tabby!  TABBY!"  Yeah, right.  My eye speaks otherwise.

The girl stopped fighting long enough to look over at Rogue.  This time I managed to get a good look at her.  

She was blond, with rosy cheeks and these little pigtail bun things in the back of her head.  They looked pretty messed up now.  She looked my age.

"Rogue?" She whispered.  Not surprising, because Wanda had her by the neck and twenty seconds ago had been trying to make her head go through the floor.

Wanda looked from the girl, Tabby, to rogue and back again.  Rogue nodded to her.

"It's ahlrahght.  Ah know her."

Wanda loosened her grip and got off of her.  She was probably a little put out.  She had been winning after all.  Rogue gave Tabby a hand up and led her over to where I was standing.  Wanda followed glowering.  

The girl, Tabby, looked at me a little embarrassed.

"I'm sorry about hitting you.  I thought you were one of them."  She jerked her head to the guys.

"No problem," I commented dryly, "With what I've been through, I'm used to it by now."  My eye was swollen shut now.

"I'm Tabitha!  Tabby to my friends!"  Her demeanor changed so fast it surprised me.  Wanda too.  But she didn't get angry or anything.

"I'm Wanda.  I'm sorry I kicked your a—."

"AS IF!  I'M GONNA BOOM—BOOM YOU!!!"

She began to charge little balls of energy.  Wanda started charging up her hex power.  I scrunched against the wall.  Rouge took off her gloves and gave them both a quick slap.  They both suddenly got very tired.  I have no idea why (knock on wood).

Rogue glared at me.  

"Ah hope you undastand the moral of this storay."

"Uh…Don't mess with the Rogue?" I offered.

"Damn Skippy."

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"Wow, the professor vill vake up soon?  Zat's wunderbar news!"

"It may take several days, Kurt."

"You are sure of this, McCoy?"

"As sure as I can be, Magneto."

"It's about time." Mystique sniffed.  She'd had enough of hanging around these institute brats.

Hank, Raven (Mystique), Magneto, Kurt, Scott, and Jean were standing around the comatose Professor's bed, discussing his present condition.    

"There will be a lot to fill him in on.  Especially about the raid tonight.  If we pull off the raid tonight we won't have to worry about Trask's scientists anymore."  Jean rationalized.**

"And about our missing members."  Scott reminded her.

"But he can find them with cerebro!"

"Even after you couldn't?"

"You forget Scott," She said frostily," that I'm still in training.  Is there anything else, Hank?"

"No, but—"

"Thank-you, Mr. McCoy."  She turned on her heel and stomped out.  Magneto watched Scott go after her, trying to appease her.

"Ahh."  Magneto turned to Beast, who was talking to Raven.  Kurt had already bamphed out.

"The wonders and joys of youth.  He really put himself in the doghouse this time."

*^^*^*^*^**^^*^**^^**^^**^*^^*^**^*^*^**

John was busy scaring prisoners with a lighter he stole from the guard that tossed them in here.  Sam and Lance were leaning against the wall, just sitting there.

Ray and Arcane were sitting on the bench on one of the walls, away from the crowd of frightened spectators at John's amazing light show.

"How long do you think they'll watch before someone calls the guards back in here?"  Arcane commented watching John as he pulled a wisp of flame out of the lighter and turned it into a dragon, making it fly all over the room.

"I don't know.  So much for keeping a low profile, hunh?"

"Yeah."

"Hey….Arcane…"

"What?"

"Do you…like Danny?"

"She's nice, why?"

"No, I mean, do you _like _her?"

"…I cannot believe we're having a conversation like this."

Ray looked at him, surprised.  "Why?"

"Because she's fifteen-"

"Sixteen."

"What?"

"It's her birthday today."

"….Oh…well that ….really stinks."

"You were saying?"

"And I am twenty.  There's a bit of a gap there, Sparky."

"Good."

"Eh?"

"Well, you see….If you were planning to go stalking her, I was planning on killing you, so I guess neither of us have anything to worry about."

"Is this a jealousy thing?"

"What?  NO!  But she is one of my friends.  And she does a lot for everyone else.  And like hell am I going to let anyone take advantage of her."

"Well, I guess you DON'T have anything to worry about."

"…..You like her though."

"Please realize that there is more than one way for a person to die in jail.  And it's not murder if everyone thinks it's an accident."

"……."

"I'm glad you see it my way, Sparky."

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Guards were running past our cell.  Judging by the way a couple of them were running around with fire extinguishers, I assume it had something to do with Johnny.

Tabitha and Wanda were sitting on either side of me, with Rogue leaning against the wall.  They had managed not to kill each other.

They're improving.

CLANK.

We looked over to see a woman in a three piece suit standing next to our guard. A lawyer.

"Rogue, Nesmond, Maximoff, Tabitha, your lawyer's here to see you."

We all got up and walked out of the cell.  I limped quite a bit.  Having a girl land on your leg and punch you isn't on my happy list.

We walked down the hall and was put into a little room.  And we waited.  Soon after, the boys walked in.   Ray looked charred, Arcane had a bit of soot on him, Lance and Sam looked as if they had seen the most horrifying thing in their lives, and John waltzed in with a happy grin.

This does not take a genius to understand what happened.

Our lawyer looked us over and pursed her lips and wrote something down in her notebook, looked at us again, and wrote some more.

"Parameters of safety are no good, no good at all…That should help your defense… now, am I correct in thinking you are all mutants?  That's not very good…we won't mention that."

"How did you know?"  Lance asked.

"It's my business to look at information and decide.  Now,  we'll use the lost citizens defense, that way they'll feel pity."

"Ummm…who?"  Ray stared.

"Don't interrupt.  They will be looking for any reason to crucify you.  We can't make you martyrs."

"Don't martyrs die?"  She ignored him and went on.

"As for the destruction of public property, we'll just link that to the lost citizen's shtick.  And as for the animal charge, there are no dogs with you, therefore that statement won't hold water."

I am probably very, very, very lucky they didn't strip search me.  Herman and Kally were hanging out, forgive the pun, in my shirt and it would be a decidedly bad idea for them to be known.

"Well that's it. The hearing is tomorrow, or rather, today, and your car and you all shall be on the road again in no time.  As for you," she checked her file, "Tabitha, the charges that you were assaulting someone has been dropped.  It was determined to be self-defense."

"About time," Tabby muttered.  Somehow I get the feeling that this has happened before. 

"You are all going back to your cells now to wait the last few hours.  Good day."

We all got ushered out and split our groups again.  Tabitha walked beside me.

"Are you guys going to the institute?"

"Yeah?"

"Can I come too?"

"Ummm….sure.  I mean, Rogue knows you, so I guess it's okay.  I'm Danny."

"Cool.  I'm going road trippin'!"

She started dancing around in the cell after the guards shut the door.  Because of many complaints of injury, the dirty old guys all got moved into another cell while we were away.

Good for them.

We are going to be so cramped in our bus.    And we had to find Doggy and Hezibah again.  

I hope they're alright.

*^**^^**^*^^*^**^*^*^^*^*^*^

* these words were blanked out to protect my PG rating

**I hate it when people rationalize.

Alright!  Danny and co. are getting out of jail!  LEGALLY.

Where will Doggy and Hezibah be?  Will they be at the busted down sign?  Or will they pull a homeward bound thing and run back to the institute?

Sunny is taking reviews yet again!  Dexroth is helping her, as all of my other animals are either in jail or outside route 207.


	17. What were you thinking, The spider,the w...

Disclaimer: X-men not mine

Akai Kah'ghe:  Hmmmm…..I'm going to have to teach Doggy on good review catchink etiquette.

Laureate:  Yeah, but doesn't bad luck always make for the most amusing situations?  As for school, I am turning the tide…sort of.

Kar-chan: Hmm..  Off the top of my head I would say two times visiting the slammer.  However, I'm guessing they've broken over thirty laws, many of them felonies.

Chrissy:  I thought that would be fun….just because.

Rogue77:  Hmmm….I might be able to arrange that.  If not in this story than in another one I'm thinking up.

Flamingo1:  I was wondering where you were.  I was writing my shout-outs and you almost didn't make it.  First day of high school, hunh? Good job.  As for the pairing, I was entertaining the thought.  It may still happen. 

*^*^^*^**^*^*^^**^^*^*^*^*

"WOOOHOOOO!"

"Can somebody please shut her up?!"  Arcane hissed.  We were almost out of the courthouse, all charges having thus far been dropped. Unless you count the impending charge of disrupting the peace, as Tabby was demonstrating.

"Tabby!"  Ray tried to shush her.

"Ray, why didn't you ever ask me out?  I mean, you are a cutie, so obviously you're attracted to me."

"Dream o—did you just say I was cute?"

"Nope!  OOO!  They have snack machines!"

"I cannot believe you invited her!"  Arcane hit his forehead with his palm.  By some miracle of chance (I'm not going to point the finger at any one mutant) the police didn't find any illegally altered firearms or anything else like that on the rest of us.  Just a miracle of chance.

"Uh…would you believe I fell for her puppy dog eyes?"

"MY GOSH! THAT WOMAN IS BUTT-UGLY!"

"No."

"I didn't think so…."

Police officers swiftly escorted us outside.  I think they were afraid of losing their jobs.

We got run out onto the steps outside the courthouse.  Viva la Cleveland, baby.  

"AWW! LOOK AT THE CUTE PUPPIES!"

"What?"  I turned around to look at where Tabby was running off too.  "YIKES!  NO TABBY!  DON'T TOUCH THEM!"

"What?"  Tabby turned around suddenly from going off to pet two incredibly volatile canines.  "Why?"

"Because that is a full-grown hyena and her wolfhound boyfriend you're gonna try to get friendly with," Lance supplied.  Soon after he was whacked in the head by Wanda, because there was a security guard not ten feet away.

But fortunately, he was deaf.  Or close enough.

"What are you two doing here?!" I snarled as  I ran...well limped…down as fast as I could to my two canine cohorts.

_We followed your scent.  Hezibah thought it would be prudent to wait for you._

"Prudent?  PRUDENT?!  Do you realize where you are?!  People will not take kindly to a hyena and her mute sidekick running around!"

_Doggy is mute?  Hezibah did not realize. _

"Well he's, I mean—Alright, I don't know if he's mute, but if he isn't he's probably pretty close.  Wait…THAT ISN'T THE POINT!"

"Dan, Keep your voice dowhn."  Sam cautioned me.  Herman and Kally stuck their heads out of my collar.

_Sam is right.  Right._

_Can I go sit with Ray now?_

I reached up and pulled Kally out of my shirt and pushed her unceremoniously to Ray.

"We would have come to get you!  What if somebody recognized you, hunh?  Do you realize what kind of trouble you two could have been in?  They could have put you both down!"

Someone put you down.  Your face is very purple. 

I gave her my glare of death only reserved for people who point out the obvious.  She just let the silence speak for both of us.

"Hey, you guys gonna come or what?"

I broke my glaring contest with Hezibah to see Tabby driving our bus.  The side doors were open and waiting for us.  For some reason, she managed to wander off and grab our van.  And for another reason, nobody wanted to make the first step into the bus.

It only took a couple miles to figure out why.

^**^*^*^**^^*^*^*^*^**^^*^*

"KILLITKILLITKILLIT!"

"Will you stop freaking?  You're going to wake up the rest of the mansion!  Those kids need their rest!"

Ororo jumped onto a chair, trying to escape the evil spider that just does not want to die.

"KIIILLLLLLIIIITTTTTTT!"

Logan tried to catch the spider as it scurried up the chair.  Ororo screamed and flew up into the air, only to forget that the ceiling was low in that particular room.

**WHACK!**

Ororo dropped like a stone into Logan's arms.  The spider, managing to escape death yet again, scurried off into the hall, ducking into some other room.

Evan chose to walk into the room that held the two adults at the most inopportune time.

"WHAT ARE YOU GUYS DOING?!"

^*^^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^^*^*^*^*^*^**^^*

"Sounds like it struck again," Bobby commented from his bed.  Roberto snickered.

"Vhy does zat thing not die, mein freunds?  Perhaps it is mutant, yah?"  Kurt put his head to the floor, hearing the screams come up through the floor.

"If it is, maybe we can send it after Apocalypse.  Not even he could kill that thing."  Roberto sniggered from his cot.  Kurt grinned and teleported up to the light fixture, hanging by his tail.

"Think we can catch it again for a prank?" Bobby made a little spider out of ice.

"Mein freund, if I remember correctly, it was not I nor Sunspot vhom vaz pulling zhose pranks."

"So I was being general.  So sue me."

^**^^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*

"WE'RE ALL GONNA DIE!!"

"You're just a spoilsport!"  Tabby laughed as she kicked the bus into a higher gear.  Ray had gotten the unlucky and totally unenviable task of sitting shotgun. 

Doggy and Hezibah became swiftly attached to me.  We took the very back seat again.  Lance had been sitting next to me, and Doggy had been sitting between Rogue and Arcane one seat up, but when Tabby started racing a guy in a dueley, he took a leap into the back seat and cowered next to me, half sitting on Lance.

"TABBBBBBBBYYYYYYYYY!  THE CAR!!!!"

"Stop screaming like a little girl, RAY!"

I heard several other screams from the others as a little sports car whistled past us, almost clipping the side of the van.  And this a four lane highway.  Tabby was engaging in another race, this time with a gray sedan.

Well, actually it turned out to be an unmarked cop car.  A portable light showed up on his dash and began flashing.  

"MUWHAHAHAHAHAHAHA!!!"

"NOOO!  TABBY!  PULL OVER!"

"I NEVER SURRENDER!  NO ONE CAN CATCH BOOM-BOOM!"

"YOU FLAMING LUNATIC!"

According to my watch, it has been eight hours since my birthday began.  And seven of those were in jail.  Now I was stuck in a bus, holding a whimpering bat, hyena, and wolfhound, with a driver who was psychotic to the point that made a loony bin look like the sanest place on earth.

"AIIEEEEEEEE!"

Several of us screamed, not all of them girls.  Rogue was grimly clinging to the seat and Arcane, who was yelling something in Greek.  And judging by the way he was going on, I assume it was not polite.  Sam, John, and Ray were all screaming.  

Lance and I had assumed the position of Oh-I-really-hope-we-don't-die.  It involved us ducking down into the seat and covering our eyes.  And holding onto whatever animal happened to be close by.   They couldn't protect their heads.

The bus's tires screamed as it left the sedan in the dust.  It's a good thing Spike had the foresight to put on different plates on our bus.  I'd really hate to have to explain to Uncle Robbie why he got a subpoena for resisting arrest.

Not that it probably hasn't happened before. 

Wanda started waving her hands around above her head.  I know, because I heard Rogue and Arcane yelling at her to stop.  Then there was an explosion and loads of cuss words.  

"LOOK WHAT YOU DID YOU INSANE LITTLE KLEPTO!"

"ME?!  YOU TRIED HEXING ME!  Not a very smart thing to do for the person that's driving the bus!"

"AN APE COULD DRIVE BETTER THAN YOU! MY BROTHER COULD DRIVE BETTER THAN YOU!  YOU JUST BLEW UP THE SEAT YOU LITTLE TWIT!"

"THE NEXT ONE'S GOING UP YOUR NOSE!"

The bus began to swerve all over the road.  And I just could not stand it anymore.

**"PULL THIS BUS OVER NOW!!!!!!"**

My fingers were digging holes into the back of the seat in front of me.  Everybody was silent and cowering, even Tabby and Wanda.  I believe it was more from the harrowing ride than from myself.  But it got the job done.  Tabby pulled over.  I got out of the van and walked to the driver's side.

"Out.  NOW."

She meekly got out and there was a swift musical chair shuffle of seats.  Ray relocated to the very back, taking Herman, my poor traumatized bat, with him and sat between Hezibah and Doggy.  Kally curled up next to Herman inside his shirt pocket.  Lance, Tabby, and Rogue got the back middle, While Wanda, Sam, and Arcane sat in the front middle.  Johnny sat shotgun.

Which left me with the driver's seat.  Nobody thought to look at the 'forbidden activities for Danny' I guess.

Then again, considering everybody's mental state, they might not care.

^*^^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*

Alright, on the road again!

Reviews shall be taken by Hezibah, who is being supervised by Dexroth.  Remember, don't stick your fingers in the mouth, in the ears, or in the nose of the review taker.  Chances are the results are not pretty.


	18. Ninety miles to home, things go wrong, a...

Disclaimer: X-men not mine.

Akai Kah'ghe: Hmmm…perhaps.

Laureate:  I'm thinking arthropods and reptiles may come next chapter.

Rogue77:  Where I live, they wander about in abundance.  They're fun to see.

Chrissy:  Indeed she is.

^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^^*^*^*

"New York.  Thirty miles.  Bayville.  Ninety miles.  You know what that means, guys?" John grinned behind him at the rest of the guys.  And girls.

"WE'RE AHLMOST HOME!"  Sam whooped.  He hugged Wanda, and to my surprise, she actually hugged him back instead of blowing his head off with a hex bolt.  Rogue, Lance, and Ray were doing hip hip hoorays in the back and practically jumping up and down.

I, on the other hand, was grinning my head off, but I wasn't going to do anything that may potentially rob me of the driver's seat.

"They're gonna be so glad to see us!"  

"Ah'm gonna raid the kitchen when we get home.  What about you guys?"

"Rihght bahand you, Rogue."

"As much as I hate to admit it, I want to see my brother."

"To heck with Pietro, I wanna see Kitty!"

"Take a shower, Lance!"

There were several loud snickers erupting from John's last comment.  Lance glared at him.

"Well at least I have a girl!  I bet you're a eunuch!"

I had been sipping a soda at precisely the wrong time and started laughing.  And let me say something…soda hurts when it comes out of the nose.

"Dannyhahahahaha…Are you okay?"  Wanda snickered while she tried to look concerned.  Tabby was howling with laughter.

"Owwww…..It burns."  My eyes were watering pretty badly.  It was a good thing that there were no curves ahead of us.

There was another bout of snickering.  Rogue shook her head.

"Dann, you know exactly how ta stop people frohm arguin',donchya?"

I wiped my eyes and grinned as I dragged all of my attention back to the road.  The sun was setting.  About seven thirty at night.  The earliest we'd get back was nine.  And we'd have to call up everybody, or rather, I'd have to call up everybody.  They were my family after all.

"You know, we should do this again sometime."

"Lance.  Don't even think about it," Wanda threatened.

^**^^*^**^^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^**^  
  


"Quiet!"

There was a deep hush as they stood outside the base.  Its location had been a secret.  That is, until now.  

Magneto waved the first group of mutants away.  They ducked down and slipped away into the shadows to round the other side of the base.  His own group crept forward.  He waved his hands toward the fence.  It collapsed under his power.

The mission: Wipe out the information banks and any remaining robots in the base.  No mess ups.

The first group snuck in and broke off into groups.  Scott, Kurt, Remy, Ororo, and Pietro in the first, Rahne, Jean, Jubes, Todd, Fred, and Bobby in the second.

The second group that rounded off to the other side, prepared to make their way in.  The fence was cut open and Mystique, Logan, Roberto, Piotr, Kitty and Amara slipped in and set off for the main buildings.

The first groups discovered the mainframes of the computers.  Magneto followed them, shutting off any alarms and using his magnetic powers to destroy the memory and the mainframe.

The second group stumbled upon the warehouse.

"Uh oh…"

"Quiet, Princess." Logan growled.  "We don't want to set off alarms."

The warehouse was full of the twelve foot robots that attacked the institute.  It was a precarious situation.

"How do we destroy them?"  Mystique hissed.  "There's too many!"

"Perhaps we call Magneto and he brings others."  Piotr told them solenmly.

A man stepped out of the shadows behind them and quickly ducked back, afraid.  He fumbled on the wall next to him and pulled a switch.

BREEEEOOOOOOOOEEEEEEEEE!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

^**^*^*^*^^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^^*^**^^*^**^*^^**^^**^

Bayville.  Ten miles.  

It was pitch black outside.  The highway was deserted.  Which was probably a good thing, since I was going thirty miles over the sixty mile speed limit with no relief in sight.

"Hey shielah, light a fire under it!"

"John, we are already speeding.  Bayville is not going to explode just because we get there a little late!"

_ BOOOOOOOOOOOMMMMM!!!!!!!!!_

I almost lost control of the bus.  A pillar of smoke rose into the air a mile off the main road.

"Ahhh…..You were sayin' Danny me luv?"

"That was probably waiting to happen."

"Danny!"  Rogue leaned over the seats.  "Let's go!"

"What?!"

"Let's go!  We may be able to help."

"Ummm…."

"Go Danny go!"  Tabby threw in her vote.  I glanced into the rearview.  They were all looking grim.  I sighed.

"May the record show that I was listening to you."

I pulled a sharp turn and the bus flew off the road and began hauling through the grass and dirt, destination the impact sight.

I think my driving may be improving.  When I took out a sign, we didn't crash.  It totaled the front end of the bus though.

A cloud of dust plumed behind us as I kicked the bus into higher gear.  Which, in the end, probably saved our lives.

A twelve foot robot, one of the ones that tried to take us out in Arkansas, jumped out in front of us.  It probably expected us to brake.  Fat chance.  I took out one of its legs when I ran it over.

"Go Dann…"

"Woof."  Doggy agreed with Ray.  I grinned and kept on going.  A couple more jumped out.

"Run 'em over!"

My eyes widened slightly.  No way the bus was gonna make that.  But I was going to fast to turn away anyway.

"EVERYBODY HOLD ON!!!!"

The bus screamed into the robotic duo at seventy miles an hour.    The air bag exploded into my face at the last second.  Right before the bus flipped.

"AHHHHHHH!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!"

The bus turned over several times before it rocked to a stop on its side. 

"Is everybody okay?"  I whispered, miraculously still conscious.  There were assorted mutters and groans.  

SKREEEN!!

"Uh Oh."  That was an understatement.  Claws dug into the driver's door.  Apparently the bus didn't do a good enough job.

"CANNONBALL!"  Sam exploded out of his seat, taking a good bit of the side of the bus with him.  The robot swung around trying to catch him, but it was no use.  Its legs, or what was left of them, were too mangled to pull any kind of pursuit.  It's buddy was already out for the count.  

"Are we gonna let him have all the fun?  LET'S ROCK THIS JOINT!"  Lance took his chances and dropped out of the bus, followed by Wanda and Rogue. I quickly unhooked myself (safety belts DO save lives) and I looked over at John.  He was groaning and he didn't look good.  I grabbed him and struggled to get him out.  I knew he shouldn't be moved, but there was a robot thirsting for our blood outside.  And the last thing I wanted was for him to be left behind.

I will never leave my friends behind.  

I felt someone tap my shoulder.  I looked back to see Arcane.  He helped me drag John to safety.

"Wow….Ray?  I think I'm bleeding."

I looked up to see Ray dragging Tabby over to us.  There was a gash on her forehead.  Hezibah and Doggy had joined Wanda and the others against the assault on the big robot.  Herman and Kally were nowhere to be found.  But they were resourceful.  I'm sure their okay.

I hope.

There was a swift episode of grinding metal.  Sam had come back and cannoned the back of the robot.  Lance and Rogue finished them off quickly.

I mentally cursed myself for handing my knife over to Spike.

(Hezibah!  Doggy!  Get over here!)

_What is needed of Hezibah?  _

(Tear the legs off my pants.  We need bandages.)

Doggy and Hezibah tore a few holes in my pant legs.  I ripped them off at the knee.  I tore them up into strios.  I handed most of them to Arcane to see to John, while I Took a couple of strips to clean the gash on Tabby's forehead.  Ray was holding her hand the entire time.

The others took guard as we worked.  They only had bad scratches, nothing that would stop them like these two.  

As I finished bandaging Tabby, who was rapidly recovering from her dazed state and beginning to look less than pleased, John sat up suddenly surprising Arcane.

"Let's get 'em!"

"…We already got em…."

"I meant those ones," He said pointing.  We all followed the direction he was pointing and saw a sort of complex in flames.  And wandering around that complex, a dozen robots.

"Oh great…"  I moaned.  I was really beginning to hate those things.

"Let's go."  Wanda and Tabby both got up, despite Ray's protests.  Sam, Rogue, and Lance followed.  John managed to struggle to his feet and walked off too.

Ray, Arcane, and I looked at each other.  Then we all shrugged and ran to catch up with the others.

This is my sixteenth birthday:  A walk into certain death.

^**^^*^*^*^**^^*^^**^*^*^*

Looks like this story is drawing to a dramatic finish!

Alright, leave your reviews with Dex (because all my animals are running off to war and we can't find sunny right now)  after the beep.

……

……..

………..

…Alright, it doesn't seem to be working, so I'll provide.  BEEEEP!


	19. Trouble in spades, reunions, and Danny's...

Disclaimer: X-men ain't mine.

Renee LeBeau: Hezibah really liked that steak!

Akai Kah'ghe:  Wow, I feel so happy that someone should say that!

HoneyBug17: Wait no longer!

Rogue77:  You were right!

Azzandra:  Prepare to move back into your seat.

Chrissy:  Hmmm…Well, vehicles in all that does make three.

Flamingo1:  Hmmm…Well, I can guarantee no one gets killed.  I think.

Kar-chan:…That's an interesting way to put it.

Asteria:  Yeah, I thought that was funny.

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Smoke.  Fear. Rage.  Boy, was this a birthday to beat all birthdays.  I lost everybody else when this robot scattered us.  I didn't even know where Hezibah and Doggy were.  But that wasn't going to stop me from causing my own brand of trouble.

It's funny how those robot things seem to be getting orders from the little flashy buttons on their chests.  And I discovered if you throw a rock hard enough at the little glowing light, it bust and the robot starts getting confused.  I also discovered that confused robots destroy everything in sight, including their own and an empathic kid that was too stupid to realize that might happen.

Luckily I saw it coming and ran.  Yeah, I don't think I'll win prizes for bravery.  Then again, throwing rocks at something that's almost three times taller than I was might be construed as bravery.

Nah.  That was just stupidity.

"IgonnadiediediediediedieDieDieDIE!"  I chanted as a slipped between two robots and ran towards a green walled armyish looking building.  As I reached the door, I heard banging.

"Let us out, Let us out!"

A loud explosion caused me to glance over my shoulder.  There was a robot charging me.

"Oh my—Let me in, LET ME IN!"

I stepped back a couple steps and hit the door with my shoulder.

Oww.  

THAT HURT.

The robot was getting closer.  I backed up and tried again.  But to my surprise, this time it flew open by itself.

"AHHHHH—OOOOPH!"

I ran head first into somebody else.  I dimly stepped back, trying to clear my head.  Somebody roughly shoved me out of the way.  I hit what sounded like barrels and flipped over on my back.

"Ugggghhhhh…..I hate my life."  I sat up.  Nobody was in the room with me.  Figures I'd get hit and nobody'd stay around to say sorry.  Now I really am used to it.  I stumbled back up and peeked out the open door.  The machine monstrosity was dead.  As dead as a machine can be, anyway.

I ducked back out of the building and ran around the side.  I don't think I want to mess with whatever put that one out of commission. 

*^^*^**^^**^*^^**^*^^*^**^^**^*^*^^**^*^*^*^^**^*^

"Kitty!  Phase through those things!"

"I'm trying, I—AMARA LOOK OUT!"

Amara barely had time to see the robot swing an arm and knock her into a wall.  I t stood over her, ready to place the final blow.  Her friends couldn't help her.  Nobody could help her now…

"Another Roby on the barby is it?  Well, the more the merrier."  A huge burst of flame engulfed the robot, burning through the armor.

"No bloody machine is gonna take out a mutant shielah while I'm around."

Amara looked up.  There was Pyro.  Pyro, that was one of the ones lost for so many weeks.  The Acolyte who's powers were so similar to her own…

He didn't look so good.  He kept his arm close to his body, and he looked pale and tired.  But it didn't stop him from frying every single circuit in that robot's back.  It fell heavily beside her.  He grinned at her.

"Alrigh' Sheilah?  Look like you've seen a ghost, eh?"

*^*^^**^^**^^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^**^

Rogue struggled to get past two tight-knit robos.  So far they hadn't given her any slack.

"Per'aps you allow Remy to help de chere."

She whirled around to see Remy throw a charged up rock at one of the robots.  The robot wasn't smart enough to move.  The kinetic energy blew a hole in it's chest, setting off a chain reaction in it's circuits. 

Rogue saw the snapping circuits and tried to get away, but the robot exploded, taking the other with it.  She was thrown back wards and landed on something soft.

"Ooph!  Be careful wid Gambit, chere.  He ain't indestructible.  Cherie al'right?"

"Ah will be once Ah get away from you!"

"Chere wound Remy.  Remy just saved yo' life.  What Gambit do to deserve dat?"

"Ah guess…NO! You're usin' your powahs again!"  She got up and ran off in a huff.  Gambit followed hurriedly.

"But Chere!"

^*^**^*^^**^^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^**^*^^*^^*^^*^*

"There they are!  The brotherhood!"

"Let's go!"

The earth started trembling as Lance and Wanda tore forward to get to the brotherhood, who had been hemmed in by robots.  Fred saw them coming and tackled two of the nearest robots.  Toad jumped up and landed on the head of the third one, causing it to careen wildly into a fourth.  The last two tried to get at the others, but were knocked off their feet by a tremor and incapacitated by a whirlwind and some well-placed hex bolts.

"Hey cuddlebumps, yo.  I missed you."

"Whatever."

*^^**^*^*^^**^^*^*^*^*^*^*^**^^

what is it really when they're falling over, *****  
everything that you thought was denied   
i'm gonna be the one that's takin over,   
now this is what it's like when worlds collide

"Don't mind us, just passing through."  Ray sent out another electric bolt, frying some robot limb that had been unlucky enough to be reaching for him.  Arcane and Tabby flanked him, throwing out bombs and a few well-aimed shots when necessary.  Between the three of them they were carving a path of destruction through the destruction already caused by the robots. 

"RAY!!!!"  He looked up to see Rahne and Jubilee and a couple of the other new recruits running up.

"You guys ready to party?"  He grinned as Arcane blew the head off another robot.  The others immediately got into the group.

are you ready to go - cause i'm ready to go - what you gonna do baby - baby   
are you going with me - cause i'm going with you - it's the end of all time

**__**

^**^*^^*^**^^**^*^*^*^*^*^^**^^**^^**^*^*^^*^*

I looked around.  By the sounds of it, the floor was getting wiped by robots.  Ha.  Serves em right.  But right now those weren't my problem.  My problem was the helicopters with the very human people inside, carrying guns and basically asking for trouble.  

_Danny.  Ny.  Are you there?_

(About time.  Where are you guys?)

We went to get reinforcements.  Forcements. Doggy and Hezibah went to a place with many animals.  Mals.  Kally and I went elsewhere.  

(…..Did I know you guys could do that?….No, wait, I don't want to feel like an idiot.  So what's gonna happen?)

The tornado planes are starting to land.  We are at your command. Mand.   

I reached my mind out.  And boy, was I surprised.

Not only had Kally and Herman raided the pet store and gotten out a whole bunch of lizards and mice and rats and some sunspiders,  Doggy and Hezibah managed to get into the pound and freed cats and dogs and oddly enough, a couple rabbits.  And not to mention the pigeon and dove flock and a colony of bats were hanging out as well.

(You guys want to help?  Why don't you just take off?  I can't order you to stay.)

A hundred voices rose up against me.  They all said different things.  But I got the gist.__

NO.  

(Why?)

Nobody had an answer.  At least, not one that I could understand.  Then one voice piped up.

Because you are different.  You don't try to change us, you understand.  That makes you and you alone special.  

I couldn't pinpoint the voice, but the others agreed.  I grinned.

(Let's get those guys.)

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Screams cut the joyful reunion of the mutant groups with their lost members short.  They rushed to the source, fearing the worst.

And watching in amazement as the entire animal kingdom descended upon some very surprised commandos.  Lizards and rodents joined forces to crawl up pants as Sunspiders caught rides on the backs of bird and bat alike to fall on the heads of guards desperately trying to free themselves of ratty things.  Birds and bats also dive bombed heads, causing commandos to drop their weapons of swat them away.  Only to realize that while they had been doing so, their guns had been taken away by dogs and one very smug hyena.  Some men were relieved to find out their adversaries were rabbits, only to find themselves clawed and bit and kicked in the face.

"Viva la Resistance!"  Somebody yelled.  The mutants turned to see Danny cheering them on, and socking an occasional commando that got too close.  The commandos swiftly gave up.

"To hell with this!  We aren't paid enough to deal with this!"

They took off, shaking rodents out f their pants and shielding their head from pigeons.

"Come back if you ever want to see how it's done again!"  Danny crowed and turned around.

And saw the rest of the mutants.  She turned back around quickly, a blush rising to her cheeks.  The animals faded into the night, stray dogs and cats wandering off to roam the city, rats and mice running off towards the country with the lizards and spiders, the flocks of birds winging off into the night, and the colony of bats sweeping off back to their cave.  Danny's own bat left with them.  But two dogs, one Doggy and another soon to be identified as Hezibah, stayed with her along with Kally, Ray's rat.

Scott walked up to her.  She sheepishly turned to face him.

"Uhh….Hi Scott."

"Where have you all been?!  We were worried sick about you!"

"Can this wait until we get back to the institute?"

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*****I thought this song really fit!

Stay tuned, for the next chapter we come to the conclusion!

Herman and his colony shall take the reviews today, with Sunny, because this is her last chapter to take them.  That's right, give Sunny the best of luck, she is going to be employed by none other than Flamingo1!  So stay tuned—next chapter we have explanations, a little spider wrangling, and some goodbyes.


	20. The Professor awakens, spiders, and the ...

Disclaimer: X-men not mine.

HoneyBug17: Wait no longer.

Akai Kah'ghe: They're gonna try.

Laureate: cyber-pocky?

Flamingo1:  She's ready!  Oh, and thank you for telling me.  That saying has been in my head for a while.

Azzandra:  Thank-you!  Giddyness is fun, no?

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"Where were you?!  What were you doing?  Were you captured?  Were you kidnapped?  Did Lance do this to you?!"

"Hey!"

I stayed well behind Sam and Wanda as Scott gave our little squad the third degree.  We had barely said a word until we got back to the institute.  But now we were in the main room, getting chewed out by our team leader.

Never mind that all of us were practically having to lean on each other for support.  John was leaning against me, looking really pale.  Arcane was right behind me.  I was leaning up against his shoulder.  Because I was tired.  That's the only reason.

Mystique, Magneto, Mr. Logan and Ms. Ororo had gone with Mr. McCoy for some reason.  Something about a patient.

"I KNOW you had something to do with this Alvers!"

"You're just looking for someone to blame, one eye!"

"You're a bad egg, Alvers!  Now you've probably given Danny ideas!"

"Keep me out of this."

"Yeah, she comes up with plenty ideas of her own," Ray snickered.  He was standing next to Tabby, who was sitting in a chair.

"Ray?  Do you want me to sic a lizard up your pants?"

"I don't think there will be a need of that, Danielle."  Uh-oh.

"Professor!"  Scott exclaimed.  "You're awake!"

"He was sleeping?"  Wanda mused.

"For at least a couple weeks.  That was why we didn't know where you were."  Jean explained.

"Yes, but those two weeks, I was not totally incapacitated.  In fact, I was watching you—or more importantly, our lost friends."  He calmy said.  All of the other grown-ups were standing around him.

"Ummm…..When you say you were watchin' us…"

"I know all about the escapades of your group, Rogue.  And I—"

"YOU!" Mr. Logan's claws popped out suddenly.  Arcane stiffened up behind me.

"Can we talk about this?"

Wolverine ignored him and prepared to leap on him and cut him into tiny pieces.  I stepped in front of Arcane.  

"Get out of the way, Doolittle.  You don't understand.  He kills people."  That got a collected gasp from a lot of people.  I probably would have if I weren't scared that any movement from my part would result in dismemberment.

"I can't.  He helped me, he's my friend."

"Doolittle—"

"No."

"It's alright, Wolverine.  I've watched him, and I believe you know that he is a good person, though his ways are unorthodox.  Though, I must ask you to leave soon, Arcane.  Right or wrong, you are not allowed to stay with these impressionable minds."

"Understood, Professor."  Arcane loosened his body up.

"Now," the Professor looked at our group. "Why don't you all get some sleep?  Arcane, you may stay here tonight.  Danny, I'd like you, John, and Tabitha to go to the med lab.  Lance, Wanda, Ray, Sam, Rogue, you can go to the kitchen.  Ororo will fix you up there.

"Yessir."

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The bed was so nice and soft.  And it had been so long since I had been in an institute bed.  John was sitting in the next bed, snoring away.  He had a broken arm.  But other than that, he was fine.  Tabby was on the other side of me.  She had a concussion.  Plus the gash had needed some antibiotics.  But she was okay too.  I was good too.  After my leg had been re bandaged and the wound on my back was disinfected, and my cheek cut was cleaned out, and the giant bruise on my eye got bandaged.  My ribs could not be bandaged, so for now I had Doctor's orders to take it easy.

Something bumped into a table nearby.  I lifted my head of the pillow a little bit.  Something very small, about three inches log and very fuzzy, was skittering across the floor.  I let my hand drop toward the floor.  It immediately ran over and crawled into my palm and up my arm to perch on my shoulder.

(I thought you were long gone.)

The sunspider put a leg on my face.  Sort of like an 'I'm still here' gesture.  

(Are you being good?)

It waved it's legs around.  A sort of a 'so-so' gesture.

(You want to sleep on my pillow tonight.  I'll let you out in the morning.)

It skittered over to my pillow and curled itself into my hair, making a little nest for herself.  Yeah.  Somehow I knew it was a she.

(Goodnight Sunny.)  I yawned and fell to sleep.

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"Well. Would you like to tell us your story now?"  

The morning after.  After I got a broom in my face because there was a spider trying to eat my brains, as Kitty so eloquently put it.  After I ran away from her, trying to keep a good distance between myself and a happy broom-swinging lunatic.  After I bolted outside and ducked into the woods before Kitty could catch me, and deposited my little spider friend into the bushes.  I whispered goodbye, she waved her legs at me, and ran off when I was tackled by Kitty. 

And after such a wonderful morning, now our group, with the infamous Arcane, were standing in the main room, with a wondiferous audience.

"Umm…Well, we fought the robot, and we retreated, we found Danny."  Ray started.  We all nodded, even Tabby, even though she was not with us at the time.

"And you retreated into the belly of a plane to get away?"

"Uhh…We were hiding?"

"That was not a good place to hide."  Scott informed us.  Lance rolled his eyes.

"Danny, please start telling the story.  I sense it will take forever to get it out of the others."

"Yes Professor."  I looked around at the others.  They nodded at me.  I took a deep breath.

"Well, we got stuck on the plane because it took off.  We were on the flight and we stole some clothes to fit in.  When we got out—"

"Courtesy of the Cannonball."  Lance cut in quickly.

"We ran into town, where we decided where to go next.  We went to a motel."

"Expenses paid by the Scarlet Witch."  Ray offered.

"Then we checked into the hotel and got ourselves cleaned up.  Then we figured out where to go, and we got some transportation,  only to find out later down the road that it was a drug van."

"And that was where Danny lost her priveliges to drive."  Wanda informed him.

"So we went to LA and talked to my uncle, who gave us a bus, and we got lost somewhere in Pacific Grove—"

"Where John got arrested fer harrasin' butterflies."  Rogue supplied.

"Then we went to Oregon-"

"Where we picked up a wild animal."  Sam said, looking at Hezibah.

"And afterwards we drove to Wyoming and went to the mall.  And then we went to Kansas to visit my family, and we went to Arkansas-"

"Where we are never allowed to go again."  Lance grinned.

"Got bailed out by Spike, my cousin, went to Ohio, got arrested for running out of gas, got out, and went home.  Or almost.  We used the bus to run over a couple robots."

"I sense you were being a little general.  You left out the separate times you got attacked by robots, the vans you stole and the various other laws you all broke."

"We did what we had to to survive!"  John declared.  And for some bizarre reason, the Professor nodded.

"I understand fully.  However, as I cannot control you or the brotherhood, I have no punishment to give you.  However, the rest of you,"  He fixed his gaze on us, "Are grounded."

To everyone's surprise, we actually looked happy.  Hey, I wanted to stay home.  No way was I going to pass up a nice warm bed.  We all started to evacuate the room.  

"Danny."

"Yes Professor?"

"Happy belated Birthday."

"Thank-you Professor."  I hurried out of the room before anyone could catch me.

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"Danny!"  

I opened the door.  Arcane was standing outside my door.

The brotherhood had left, telling me not to be a stranger.  I told them once I got off my grounding I'd visit.  The Acolytes left as well.  John gave me a big hug and told me he considered me a sister.  I told him he was my honorary brother.  And now Arcane was leaving.

"I'm leaving."

"Oh."

"How's the hyena?"

"She's chewing on my bedpost.  Ms. Ororo said she could stay as long as I kept an eye on her."

"Oh."

"So….You coming back to visit us?  Or are you going to play the masked man?"

"Masked man?"

"Gone without a trace."

"I'll….visit sometime."

"Cool."

"Yeah.  Cool.  I'll be seeing you."

"Is the Professor going to let you visit?"

"What makes you think he can stop me?"

"Oh.  Goodbye."

He turned to leave.  I watched him as he walked away.

"Hey Jerry."

He turned to look at me.

"I'll miss you.  Don't be a stranger."

He laughed and kept walking.  I closed my door and walked over to my window, and watched him as he left the institute.  At the gates he turned and looked up at my window and waved.  I waved back.  He disappeared into the city.

I turned back to look at my room.  It was so empty now.  Doggy and Hezibah were sitting on my bed, watching me.  

"It's good to be home, isn't it guys?"

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That's it!  This story is fini!

Hurrah to Sunny, she is a full-fledged muse, leaving the nest!  Good for you, Flamingo1!

Danny is taking reviews today.  I think she's pining over a certain gunslinger that she has absolutely no crush on.


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